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Lebanese Army rescued 232 migrants: A ship carrying illegal migrants sank off the coast of Selata city in Lebanon, killing two migrants. The Lebanese army rescued 232 people aboard the ship by conducting a rescue operation. According to the statement received from the army, this operation was carried out by the Lebanese army in collaboration with the United Nations Interim Force present in Lebanon.
The Lebanese army issued a statement saying that the ship carrying the refugees started sinking in the sea adjacent to the city of Selata, north of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Three naval ships and a boat operated by the United Interim Force (UNIFIL) present in Lebanon took part in the rescue operation.
Death of a woman and a child
According to the report, the ship left the northern region of Lebanon on Friday night. The ship carried women, men and children from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine who were fleeing in search of a safer future. A resident of Lebanon’s second largest city, who is in contact with the survivors, told that a woman and a child are among the two who died in the accident. Both are said to be Syrian.
Earlier, the army had told that the Navy Patrol team has been sent to rescue the ship full of passengers. It was said in the statement that all these people were trying to cross the Lebanese territorial waters illegally.
UN force confirmed
At the same time, the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) present in Lebanon has confirmed the rescue operation. The Interim Force reported that they had helped the Lebanese army conduct a search and rescue operation on a ship full of people stranded in an emergency between Beirut and Tripoli.
According to international media reports, a large number of relatives of the people rescued during the rescue operation are present at the Tripoli port, where they are waiting for the safe return of their loved ones.