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EARTHQUAKE

Civil Defense finds Lebanese victim's remains under Turkey rubble

Civil Defense finds Lebanese victim's remains under Turkey rubble

A rescue worker looks for survivors in Antakya following the deadly earthquake that hit Turkey, Feb. 17, 2023. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)

BEIRUT — A Lebanese Civil Defense team on Friday found the remains of Lebanese citizen Mohammad al-Mohammad, who had been missing in Turkey following the deadly earthquake on Feb. 6, Lebanese ambassador Ghassan Moallem confirmed to L'Orient-Le Jour.

"Rescue workers are still working to extract [Mohammad's] remains from under the rubble" of a hotel in Antakya, said Moallem.

Following the tragic discovery, Moallem added "there are no more Lebanese people missing in the country, based on the list we have from the names that relatives or friends have reported to us.

"The final number of Lebanese casualties [in Turkey] is now 16," he added.

Sixteen was the number of Lebanese casualties provided by the latest report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. Moallem clarified to L'Orient-Le Jour that "a Palestinian with a Lebanese travel document was mistakenly included in [Wednesday's] count."

"The number of Lebanese casualties is still 16," he reiterated, even after Mohammad was found.

Mohammad was one of the three Lebanese citizens trapped under the rubble of the Ozcan Hotel in Antakya, southern Turkey. Among the three was Bassel Habkouk, who was rescued alive, while Elias Haddad was found dead on Wednesday.

In neighboring Syria, where the earthquake has claimed more than 3,600 victims, several sources confirmed that at least three Lebanese were among the deceased.

A Lebanese-Syrian mother and daughter from Tripoli died in Latakia and were buried in Syria, while the body of a Lebanese priest in Aleppo, originally from Bramie, South Lebanon, was repatriated to Lebanon.

On Monday, a Lebanese girl was found alive in Turkey, almost a week after the disaster. A Lebanese man and his son were also found alive on Tuesday under the rubble of their house in Antakya.

According to the latest provisional toll, the deadly earthquake has killed at least 41,000 people.

BEIRUT — A Lebanese Civil Defense team on Friday found the remains of Lebanese citizen Mohammad al-Mohammad, who had been missing in Turkey following the deadly earthquake on Feb. 6, Lebanese ambassador Ghassan Moallem confirmed to L'Orient-Le Jour."Rescue workers are still working to extract [Mohammad's] remains from under the rubble" of a hotel in Antakya, said Moallem. Following the tragic...