Civil defense vehicles spotted in the city of Sour on April 19 after the drowning of several people in the sea. (Credit: Courtesy of Muntasser Abdallah)
BEIRUT – Three people remain missing in the sea off the coast of Ramlet al-Bayda, Beirut, the head of the Civil Defense Maritime Rescue Unit Samir Yazbeck told L'Orient Today on Saturday. According to Yazbeck, five swimmers ended up in trouble off the beach Saturday — four of them as they sought to assist the first swimmer to encounter difficulty. Two of the group were rescued, Yazbeck said.
The Marine Rescue Unit of the Lebanese Civil Defense is currently searching the area for the three remaining people.
Yazbkeck said that environmental factors, such as high waves and wind, played a role leading to the incident.
On Friday, a man's lifeless body was pulled from the sea off the coast of Sour, in southern Lebanon, and two other people were rescued alive and taken to hospital for medical treatment.
On April 19, two people drowned off the coast of Sour and another three were rescued.