99 rescued off Tripoli's coast by Lebanese Navy after boat malfunction

BEIRUT — The Lebanese Navy conducted a patrol in the north, rescuing 99 individuals, all Syrian nationals, after their boat malfunctioned while attempting to reach Cyprus from one of Lebanon's northern shores, according to a correspondent for L'Orient Today.

They were aboard two boats that malfunctioned off the coast of Tripoli, our correspondent noted.

The naval forces towed the boats to Lebanese waters and evacuated all passengers in collaboration with Lebanese Red Cross ambulance teams and Civil Defense. Four individuals received on-site medical treatment for seasickness and exhaustion.

The boat drivers were detained, and investigations are ongoing under judicial supervision for legal proceedings.

Following the sudden and dramatic escalation of Israeli bombardments on Sept. 23, Lebanon's General Security reported that more than 400,000 people had fled back to Syria due to the conflict in Lebanon.

Migrants departing from Lebanon primarily aim for Cyprus. Many are Syrians escaping their war-torn country or seeking relief from the difficult living conditions in crisis-stricken Lebanon. However, very few are granted asylum or refugee status once they arrive.

As of late October, more than 30,000 people were awaiting decisions on their status in Cyprus, with some having remained there for several years, according to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cyprus.

In 2023, the UNHCR office in Beirut recorded 59 boats carrying 3,528 passengers, the majority of whom were Syrian, along with some Lebanese and Palestinian nationals. 29 boats arrived safely, though three were subsequently returned to Lebanon, according to the U.N. agency.