Dozens of Lebanese Illegal Migrants Drown, 18 Rescued while Trying to Sail from Indonesia to Australia
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
At least 60 Lebanese migrants drowned on Friday as they attempted to sail from Indonesia to Australia, reported Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3).
It said that no more than ten people survived the trip between the two countries and the corpses of the victims began to wash ashore on one of the Indonesian islands.
Later on Friday, Indonesian police said at least 22 people, mostly children, drowned and scores are missing after an Australia-bound boat carrying Middle Eastern asylum-seekers sank off Indonesia Friday in rough seas.
Twenty-five people were plucked to safety but about 75 were unaccounted for after the boat carrying people from Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen went down off the main Indonesian island of Java, police said.
Lebanese Charge d'Affaires in Indonesia Joanna Qazzi told LBCI television: “The ferry sank as a result of a malfunction and so far 15 bodies of victims from different nationalities have been recovered.”
Qazzi later told caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour that, according to the Indonesian authorities, 18 Lebanese were among the 25 survivors.
Warsono, a police official in Cianjur district on Java, said the bodies were discovered floating in an estuary on Friday morning.
"We have now found 22 dead bodies, most of them are children as they cannot swim," he said. "The dead bodies were swept ashore by big waves."
The official, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said it was dangerous for rescue boats due to "big waves" and the boat had been "broken into several pieces."
A spokesman for the Indonesian search and rescue agency said that four of its boats, along with fishing boats, had earlier been searching for the missing.
The search had been called off when it got dark and would resume again on Saturday, he said.
Warsono said that the boat was believed to have been carrying 120 people when it went down and had been heading for the Australian territory of Christmas Island.
They had departed from the fishing town of Pelabuhan Ratu, in the district of Sukabumi, on the south coast of western Java, he said.
President Michel Suleiman carried out a number of contacts over the sinking upon his return to Lebanon from New York where he took part in the United Nations General Assembly.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati later contacted the general secretary of the Foreign Ministry Ambassador Wafiq Ruhaimi, urging him to carry out the necessary diplomatic contacts over the sinking.
He stressed the need for the Indonesian authorities to uncover the causes of the sinking and the fate of the migrants.
Miqati later asked Charge d'Affaires Qazzi to head to the port from which the boat had departed in order to follow up on the rescue operations, assist the Lebanese survivors and facilitate the transfer of the bodies to Beirut.
VDL revealed that the victims had tasked a person, known as Abu Saleh, to ensure their safe passage to Australia in exchange for about $10,000 per person.
Their ferry sank however as it attempted to sail to Australia.
Abu Saleh has since been arrested.
The National News Agency reported Friday that the majority of the victims hail from the northern region of Akkar, particularly the town of Qabeit.
It said that some 15 Lebanese families were on board the vessel that sank as it was sailing to Australia.
It added that the families of the migrants had been frantically contacting loved ones abroad in order to determine the fate of those on board.
They have also urged the Foreign Ministry to contact Lebanese embassies in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia to verify the sinking.
NNA added that a number of Lebanese migrants had been resorting to sailing to Australia from Indonesia.
Abu Ali, one of the survivors later told LBCI: “Some 73 people were on board the ferry, the majority of whom were Lebanese.”
“There are only 17 survivors,” he revealed.
One Lebanese man escaped from the sinking boat by swimming to an island -- but he believes his eight children and pregnant wife were killed, according to a Lebanese mayor.
Hussein Khodr called people in his home village of Qabeit "and told them that the boat sank at dawn, when waves destabilized the vessel," said Ahmed Darwish, the head of Qabeit's municipality.
Darwish said it was not the first time that people from the poor region had sought to reach Australia by boarding rickety asylum-seeker boats in Indonesia.
“I learned of the disaster from a resident of the (Akkar) town of Fnaydeq, whose son was rescued after the sinking of the boat,” Darwish said, adding that the man's fiancee Sarab Abdul Hayy was killed in the incident.
“Two families from the town (of Qabeit) were on the boat when it started its journey on Monday: the family of Hussein Ahmed Khodr, whose nine members drowned except for the father, and the 5-member family of Asaad Ali Asaad who all drowned in the tragedy, in addition to Manal Ali Ahmed, Toufic Hamze, Mohammed Khodr Shdid, Bassam Khodr Othman and Ibtisam Khodr Othman – who are all uncounted for,” Darwish declared, noting that “the fate of everyone has not been determined in a decisive and final manner.”
In the wake of the tragedy, caretaker FM Mansour telephoned the ministry's Director General of Emigrants Haitham Jomaa and tasked him to launch contacts to follow up on the situation.
He also asked Charge d'Affaires Qazzi to communicate with the Indonesian authorities. The Lebanese envoy informed him that she will head Saturday to the accident's site to follow up closely on the developments.
Hundreds of asylum-seekers from around the world have died in recent years trying to make the treacherous sea crossing from Indonesia to Australia on rickety, wooden boats.
They normally pay people-smugglers huge sums to make the crossings, and almost always head for Christmas Island, which is far closer to Indonesia than it is to the Australian mainland.
27 September 2013, 14:33
26
This is a tragedy. They died looking for a better life.
God rest their souls.
27 September 2013, 14:38
06
It is a tragedy if this has happened
It would not have been a "Ferry" as they do not run between Indonesia and Australia.
People smugglers buy old and dangerous fishing boats for this one way trip.
Australia is being very hard on refugees that arrive by boat, our government has turned asylum seekers into a fear campaign and labels them dangerous and criminal.
I am not proud of what my country is doing to innocent people who are seeking help and shelter.
It is a disgrace. I am sorry
27 September 2013, 15:56
61
doug, what are you apologising for? did australians send these people on these death boats? These people smugglers are the same as terrorists. They kill innocent, desperate people, and they work freely in indonesia. They must be stopped and a government policy that allows all illegal migrates that arrive by boat, to eventually settle in australia, is only doing more harm by encouraging more to make the dangerous and stupid trip by boat.
27 September 2013, 16:44
00
Australia has a responsibility to protect people seeking asylum. And to rescue people whose ships are in distress. Australia shares some of the blame for this yes. So do the countries of origin for failing to create a safe secure prosperous nation. So do the imperialist powers. And so do the smugglers using unsafe boats with inexperienced crew. But I will not blame the asylum seekers. They are doing what anyone would do: desperately searching for a better life.
27 September 2013, 19:10
00
if they can afford to pay the people smugglers all that money then they can come in the front door Australia needs to look after there own
I feel sorry for the ones that died but they know the risks let them save the money and get a visa to come to Australia like every one else
why should the tax payers spend money on the boat people
27 September 2013, 15:51
52
this is a massive issue in australia. illegals coming by unseaworthy boats across the ocean to Australia. they pay tens of thousands dollars to people smugglers that take their money and send them to die. they only hope to get to Australian waters so they can be rescued by the navy. Australian sovereign waters are the largest in the world. Over 1500 illegal immigrates have died trying over the past 4 years.
if they arrive in aussie waters they are put into detention camps and resettled outside in other countries like papa new guinea or malaysia. very strict but something that a country that honours it's sovereignty must do to control who comes into their country!
Lebanon could take a page out of Australia's book and control their refugee problem by setting up camps on the syrian border.
27 September 2013, 16:05
51
how sad is it that lebanon has now become the same as Afghanistan and Iraq?
But is lebanon really the same? there is freedom of religion, political freedom, and free enterprise.
Then again, there is too much religious control, too much sectarianism, too much political freedom so that it morphs into dangerous political/sectarian extremism and too much corruption. All adds up to... too much foreign traitorous allegiances. aka no national identity.
28 September 2013, 03:56
02
Don't worry ado. the Lebanese are no better when they emigrate to other countries. they often bring with them sectarianism and lawlessness, even worse is their kids that are born in other countries often grow up with some stupid attitude just because they carry around a Lebanese flag hanging from their car mirror.
27 September 2013, 16:31
00
Those people put themselves in a highly risky situation, and paid a lot of money seeking for a better life, But recently Australian government has toughened the regulation and settling all illegal migrants in Papua new Guinea. I agreed with the Australian Government in not giving any permission to any illegal migrant to enter Australia, because those people are not ready and incapable to settle and live our values, lack of skills, as they will increase the costs on the tax payers. If someone wants to get in this country, he must go through the doors of Australian embassies for screening and qualifying them to come to this country, and be productive rather than being costly. On the other Hand, I'm very sad to hear and for the first time, that Lebanese are among those boats' people, this means the quality of life in Lebanon is much worse than the countries such as srilanka, India, Aghanistan,etc,,
27 September 2013, 16:31
00
I think it's a message to every lebanese to stop being arrogant, show off and thinking being better than south Asian people. Lebanese needs to work together again to improve their reputation and image abroad. Unfortunately, this image has been destroyed after the death of the first lebanese Man Rafic Harriri,
27 September 2013, 17:25
43
haile.selassie...Lebanon has never been like Afghanistan! Lebanese travel the world looking for commerce ever since the Phoenicians! Phoenicians were the first to circumnavigate africa, reach america, and even possibly the west coast of australia. not as refugees, but looking for commerce. Looking to make money and send back. Lebanese banks and the economy before the war was remarkable. no fake oil money. An educated people that made lebanon the pearl in the middle east. e.g. the concord, on its maiden flight, flew to rome then beirut and onto asia. no dubai or other fake desert oasis. Beirut, paris, London, new york etc were the glamorous cities. dubai and doha were deserts with tent dwelling Bedouins. Only Switzerland had more banks than lebanon! Afghanistan is the same as when Alexander the great invaded.
Migrants are different to refugees, just as Lebanon is very different to the rest of the "arab world".
27 September 2013, 17:41
00
Hi guys.
Please stop talking about the past, the past has gone, think of now and the future, look for an improvement and not stopping on one peak time of lebanese Achievement and been celebrating this achievement for 100s of years without any improvement . Lebanese are nothing now, they're not able to manage their in house issues. ado.australia: you know that Australia is a very young country comparing to Lebanon, and australians don't even have any history or culture, and first australians were prisoners, but they still made this country as one of the first advanced developed country, Because they don't think of past, they learn from the past to make better future and always seeking for an improvement.
27 September 2013, 17:29
00
Speakfreely: I'm sad about this tragedy but unfortunately, they made their choices and made their decision to have this destiny. I think you need to react differently, and respect their choice & decision. and they gambled their lives.
27 September 2013, 17:30
43
speakfreely... True, I mean no disrespect to the deceased and their families. May God rest their souls.
27 September 2013, 18:02
00
Why should people have to put themselves in such a dangerous situation. They can come to Australia the proper way it cost less then 10000 but they have to wait that's the only problem. Its sad lebanon has come to this stage because it is a really beautiful country and if politicans and government where one we would be one of the best countries in the world.
27 September 2013, 18:34
13
there is no more lebanon... it has disappeared thanks to the greediness of the politicians encouraged to continue by their sheep followers...
this country has become a retarded third world country filled with people happy of their fate....
27 September 2013, 19:00
00
Don't immigrate illegally. Canada now changing the immigration system just because of some Lebanese who likes and think they are smart and prefer to go illegal ways. Well, you want to leave Lebanon to countries, you have 1st to go through legal ways and that's it. In this way, you don't risk your life and you don't put Lebanon name like Arabic countries who also go and prefer dirty and illegal ways to reach their goals.
Our condolences to all the families of the victims and may God Bless Lebanon and the mentality of Lebanese!
27 September 2013, 19:36
25
Haile.selassie... your comment that I am a "tignorant typical Lebanese" is unfortunate coming from someone that obviously appreciates Selassie of ethiopia. phoenicians were never part of iraq. That was assiriya! Phoenicians were tyre, Sidon, Beirut and byblos cities states that were seafaring empire that challegened Rome through Hannibal from carthage in Tunisia. Why do you dismiss and mock this possibility? Do you mock the fact that Jews have right to jerusalem? They had been banished for 2000 years before they returned.
I don't claim that commerce is a gene, but rather argue that Lebanese have always been significant contributers to commerce, banking and trade since the time of their ancestors, the Phoenicians. This is a difference between Lebanese and afganis.
27 September 2013, 22:06
00
Present day jews were not banished, the ancient israelites were. Big diffirence between present day jews and the ancient israelites. Present day jews are ethiopian, russian, polish, kurdish, arab, iranian, argentinian and so on. Just like muslims and christians. They are not a race. Besides, watever happened 2000 years ago is irrelevent. The world would be turned upside down if people were to claim territory based on a 2000 year old incident. And as haile said, commerce is NOT a gene. The phoenicians settled ethiopia, egypt, tunisia and many areas but they were a barbaric people who did horrible things so to be associated with them is a shame. Leave it to ignorants to want to be associated with them, the egyptians, ethiopians and most lebanese do not consider themselves to be phoenician.
27 September 2013, 22:12
10
Idiot is the one who want to live on a 4000 year old merit. King solomon bought cedar trees so what? Today the cedar trees are in danger, morocco has nore cedars than lebanon.
27 September 2013, 22:51
02
Agree to a certain extent about the Jewish religion today. Shlomo Sand's book http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shlomo_Sand#The_Invention_of_the_Jewish_People
is an interesting read.
However modern nations all have their own myths which shapes their characters.
We have the phoenicians, Western civilization have the Greeks and the Romans. Stories make religions, nations, civilizations and companies(Steve jobs and apple, bill Gates and microsoft). This is very human. Those who reject the phoenicians myth have political and economic reasons and are inherently opposed to Lebanon as a country.
28 September 2013, 00:36
00
Now cheikh Saad al-Haribi Telteyn al-Marajil and his al-Qaeda-affiliated MPs lost 18 potential votes costing him 18 round-trip airline tickets from Australia. But then what do you expect from al-Haribi who spends millions on filth instead of spending them on helping his poor constituents stay here and attempt to live decently.
28 September 2013, 02:59
00
Hi how can I fimd out the names of the people that have died or survived I have a friend who is really worried about a family member
28 September 2013, 03:57
10
Unfortunately Lebanon has become worst than a Banana Republic because we haven't got Bananas, only banana brains.
28 September 2013, 04:00
00
phoenix I caution you on that. life is bearable in Lebanon, not perfect or great by any means, but many, not all, want to emigrate because of the dollar, they want to come back to Lebanon and build villas, the same reason why they are jealous of others. it is a sick cycle.
28 September 2013, 10:02
00
Just goes to show that "stopping the boats" doesn't actually save lives. A better policy would be to: save lives! This could be done by offering asylum and making it easier to receive.
28 September 2013, 11:38
01
Thanks to useless wars waged by Hizbullah Lebanon is unable to offer a better future for its children. Sad.
