Over 30 migrants were rescued off Lebanon’s coast when the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon intercepted a boat that was smuggling them to Cyprus, the Lebanese army said.
UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force (MTF) transferred to the army a boat carrying 32 Lebanese and Syrians outside Lebanon’s territorial waters, off the coast of the northern city of Tripoli, the military command said in a statement.
As for UNIFIL, it said that MTF participated in a search and rescue operation at sea after receiving reports last Wednesday of a missing boat off the coast of Lebanon.
UNIFIL was informed that a small boat, allegedly heading towards Cyprus, was missing, it said.
Around noon Thursday, UNIFIL’s flagship, BRS Liberal, found a small white boat northwest of Beirut in the area of responsibility of Rescue Coordinator Center Beirut.
“There were 32 passengers on board: 19 men, six women and seven children. The boat was out of fuel and the passengers had been without food and water for four days,” the statement said.
While waiting for the Lebanese navy to arrive, peacekeepers distributed water and food, and provided medical assistance. The passengers were then able to board the Lebanese patrol boats and arrived at Beirut port at dawn Friday, escorted by UNIFIL, it added.
