Foreign Ministry confirms death of six Palestinians in tragic shipwreck in Mediterranean

RAMALLAH, Political adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ahmad Al-Dik, said today that 25 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon were on board the boat that shipwrecked a few days ago off the coastal Syrian city of Tartus, of whom six have been confirmed dead.

Ambassador Al-Dik said in a press statement that of the 25 Palestinians, three survivors were found in good health, while 16 others are still missing. He said the figures are preliminary due to the difficulty of identifying the bodies, adding that a DNA test may be needed.

The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Lebanon had previously formed an operations room in partnership with the competent Lebanese authorities and Palestinian bodies in Lebanon, including the Palestinian Red Crescent, and the Palestinian ambassadors to Lebanon and Syria to follow up on the tragic shipwreck incident.

Yesterday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and UN Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said the boat had reportedly set off towards Europe on Tuesday from the port of Miniyeh, near Tripoli, Lebanon, carrying between 120 and 170 passengers.

The refugees and migrants were mostly Syrians, Lebanese, and Palestinians. Passengers included women, children, men and elderly people.

Search and rescue operations have confirmed that at least 94 people died in Syrian waters.

Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR), described the incident as a “heart-wrenching tragedy”.

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency

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