Migrant boat | Death toll jumps to 103 amid inaction of regime rescue teams

The death toll from a boat that sank off the Syrian coast after sailing from Lebanon has risen to 103 people, after the body of a child was found floating in the sea opposite Arwad, Tartous province, on the Syrian coast.

Meanwhile, dozens of people are still missing, which reflects the omission and inaction of Syrian regime’s rescue teams. If regime rescue teams search seriously and intensively, more people may be survived.

Yesterday morning, SOHR activists reported that It has been hours and days since the migrant boat sank off the Syrian coast, however, the fate of dozens of people, who dreamt of a safe haven in Europe, is still unknown.

Nearly 40 people are missing, amid inaction and negligence of the competent authorities of the regime to find and search for the survivors. The inaction of regime has triggered anger and discontent among people and the families of the victims.

The inaction, omission, and indifference to civilian lives have not only been since the occurrence of the tragedy but have continued to this moment.

Neither the Navy do their duties and responsibility, the evidence of the inaction of the navy manifested in the number of people who are still missing and the sudden discovery of a large number of bodies, nor “Director General of Ports,” navy commodore (Samer Qubrusly,) indifferent to the tragedy as he only made statements and has not given orders since the early hours of the tragedy; his inaction has reduced the chances of rescuing dozens of people.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) asserts that the residents and fishermen in Arwad, Tartous and Baniyas credited with rescue operations and assistance as they recovered the bodies, searched and found more bodies of others and rescued some people alive.

It is worth noting that The death toll of the “death boat” has jumped to 100 people, while nearly 40 are still missing.

SOHR warns against the imminent danger to some survivors, who fled Syria for Lebanon, as they are wanted by the Syrian regime.

We, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, offer our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and hope to find more survivors.

SOHR demands that all those involved in this tragedy be held accountable, including regime rescue teams for their inaction and the “Director General of Ports.”