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BY DAILY SABAH WITH AA
ISTANBUL DIPLOMACY
SEP 18, 2020 12:48 PM GMT+3
Thirty-six irregular migrants were rescued by the personnel of TCG Bozcaada corvette, which is on a mission as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in the Mediterranean Sea, Sept. 15, 2020. (AA Photo)
ALebanese migrant Friday expressed her gratitude to Turkish security forces for rescuing her, along with 36 others, who were on the verge of death during an eight-day wait for help in the Mediterranean Sea.
Lebanon is facing one of the biggest economic crises in its history, causing many people to flee the country in the hope of reaching Europe via the Mediterranean through illegal means. However, these migration waves have frequently resulted in humanitarian tragedies.
A boat holding 50 migrants, leaving from the country’s northern city Tripoli, suffered the same fate. After the boat lost its route and ran out of gas, migrants were trapped in the middle of the sea for eight days.
While four lost their lives and 10 tried to swim for land, the remaining 36 were rescued by personnel from the TCG Bozcaada corvette, which was on a mission as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Zaynab al-Qaq, one of the rescued migrants, said they had struggled even to find food for their baby in Lebanon and planned to go to the island of Cyprus in the hope of a better life.
“We sold our house and belongings in order to go to Cyprus. Then, we gave the money to people who could take us there,” she said, adding that the 50 on the boat included her husband and their four children.
Stating that they had lost their route and ran out of gas after leaving Tripoli, al-Qaq said her 2-year-old son had lost his life on the third day of their wait for help.
“We were thirsty. My son was screaming to have water. Other children were crying loud due to hunger and thirst. There was nothing to give them,” she said.
“We tied the dead body of my son to the boat with a rope. It stayed like that for two days. Then, my husband said that we could not go on like this anymore and we could only be rescued if we let him go. We left the dead body of my son to the sea,” she said.
The mother added that when they saw a ship with a Turkish flag on the eighth day, they started to shout in order to be heard.
After the ship noticed the boat, Turkish soldiers came to rescue them, she added.
“The Turkish army rescued us. The Lebanese army left us alone for eight days. Where are the coast guard and people working at sea? People migrate in front of the eyes of the coast guard and travel for hours. There was no one until the Turkish soldiers came. What would we have done if they hadn't come?”
Lebanon's financial crunch has seen tens of thousands lose their jobs or part of their salaries, sparking sharp inflation and pushing poverty rates up to encompass more than half the population.
Tripoli was one of Lebanon's poorest cities even before the crisis, which has been compounded in recent months by the coronavirus pandemic and a catastrophic explosion at Beirut's port that killed 190 people.
Source: https://www.dailysabah.com/politics...-to-turkey-for-rescuing-boat-in-mediterranean
______________________________________________
The greatest tragedy in the world. People wanting to live in peace and some who won't allow that.
ISTANBUL DIPLOMACY
SEP 18, 2020 12:48 PM GMT+3
Thirty-six irregular migrants were rescued by the personnel of TCG Bozcaada corvette, which is on a mission as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in the Mediterranean Sea, Sept. 15, 2020. (AA Photo)
ALebanese migrant Friday expressed her gratitude to Turkish security forces for rescuing her, along with 36 others, who were on the verge of death during an eight-day wait for help in the Mediterranean Sea.
Lebanon is facing one of the biggest economic crises in its history, causing many people to flee the country in the hope of reaching Europe via the Mediterranean through illegal means. However, these migration waves have frequently resulted in humanitarian tragedies.
A boat holding 50 migrants, leaving from the country’s northern city Tripoli, suffered the same fate. After the boat lost its route and ran out of gas, migrants were trapped in the middle of the sea for eight days.
While four lost their lives and 10 tried to swim for land, the remaining 36 were rescued by personnel from the TCG Bozcaada corvette, which was on a mission as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Zaynab al-Qaq, one of the rescued migrants, said they had struggled even to find food for their baby in Lebanon and planned to go to the island of Cyprus in the hope of a better life.
“We sold our house and belongings in order to go to Cyprus. Then, we gave the money to people who could take us there,” she said, adding that the 50 on the boat included her husband and their four children.
Stating that they had lost their route and ran out of gas after leaving Tripoli, al-Qaq said her 2-year-old son had lost his life on the third day of their wait for help.
“We were thirsty. My son was screaming to have water. Other children were crying loud due to hunger and thirst. There was nothing to give them,” she said.
“We tied the dead body of my son to the boat with a rope. It stayed like that for two days. Then, my husband said that we could not go on like this anymore and we could only be rescued if we let him go. We left the dead body of my son to the sea,” she said.
The mother added that when they saw a ship with a Turkish flag on the eighth day, they started to shout in order to be heard.
After the ship noticed the boat, Turkish soldiers came to rescue them, she added.
“The Turkish army rescued us. The Lebanese army left us alone for eight days. Where are the coast guard and people working at sea? People migrate in front of the eyes of the coast guard and travel for hours. There was no one until the Turkish soldiers came. What would we have done if they hadn't come?”
Lebanon's financial crunch has seen tens of thousands lose their jobs or part of their salaries, sparking sharp inflation and pushing poverty rates up to encompass more than half the population.
Tripoli was one of Lebanon's poorest cities even before the crisis, which has been compounded in recent months by the coronavirus pandemic and a catastrophic explosion at Beirut's port that killed 190 people.
Source: https://www.dailysabah.com/politics...-to-turkey-for-rescuing-boat-in-mediterranean
______________________________________________
The greatest tragedy in the world. People wanting to live in peace and some who won't allow that.
