Death toll of boat disaster rises to 102, government official links “boat of death” accident to corruption

TARTUS, Syria / BEIRUT — The total death toll from the “death boat” incident has risen to 102, with the fate of dozens still unknown.

The boat, which included upwards of 150 Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian migrants, sank last Thursday off the shores of Tartus while on a journey towards Italy.

The head of the Federation of Chambers of Industry in the Syrian regime, Faris al-Shihabi, said that the Syrians who lost their lives in the “boat of death” incident are “victims of corruption”.

In turn, Abdul Hamid al-Mahbash, Co-Chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria, stated that the sinking of the boat near the coast of Tartus is a painful event. He held the United Nations and the Member States of the Security Council fully responsible for their failure to put an end to the humanitarian disasters in the region that have caused tens of thousands to seek a better life in Europe. He hoped that the efforts of the rescue teams would be successful.

Co-Chair al-Mahbash extended his deepest condolences to the entire Syrian people and to the families of the Palestinian and Lebanese victims.