Lebanese Navy Seizes Turkey-Bound Migrant Boat off Southern Coast

Local Editor

The Lebanese navy Friday seized an overloaded boat carrying 36 illegal immigrants off the southern coast of Sarafand, the military announced.

The Lebanese Army said in a statement a patrol boat stopped the dinghy at 3:30 a.m., two miles [3.2 km] off the Sarafand seaport in the southern coastal city of Tyre.

It added that the small boat, which has a maximum carrying capacity of 10 people, was destined for Turkey.

The statement reported that the Army launched an investigation after the boat and the migrants were returned to the Lebanese shore.

Among the immigrants were 14 Palestinians from the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria, 21 Palestinians from various refugee camps in Lebanon and one Lebanese citizen.

A security source had earlier reported that the 9.5 meter-long dinghy was taken to a Lebanese Intelligence base at the nearby Zahrani port, where the immigrants were retained for interrogation.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team