Boat tragedy mirrors sinking Lebanon
Rush of young people, families bidding to reach Europe shows grim economic state
Aweek ago, the boat carrying Bilal Dandashi, his relatives and dozens of others hoping to escape Lebanon and reach Europe sank in the Mediterranean. Dandashi still doesn’t know if his wife and children are alive or dead.
Their boat sank in the darkness of night in a matter of seconds after a collision with a Lebanese Navy ship trying to stop the migrants. Of the around 60 men, women and children on board, 47 were rescued, seven bodies were found — and the rest remain missing.
Bilal was rescued along with two of his children. But his wife and two other children remain missing. His brother Amid’s three children were all killed, their bodies found later.
“This whole country is drowning, [it is] not just us who drowned,” Bilal said.
Desperation
The increase in migrants is fuelled by desperation from an economic meltdown caused by years of corruption and mismanagement. Spiralling inflation and the collapse of the currency have wrecked people’s salaries and savings. Medicines, fuel and many foods are in short supply.
Lebanon has now become a source for migrants making the dangerous boat crossing to reach European shores. In Tripoli, Lebanon’s poorest city, residents say there is a constant stream of migrant boats, taking off from shores around the city — even from Tripoli’s official port.
“The port has become like an airport. Young people, women and children are going to Europe. The trips are daily,” said Amid. Bilal and another of his brothers had attempted a crossing once before, but the smugglers’ boat they were on stalled offshore.
How tragedy unfolded
So for a second trip, they took matters into their own hands. Working with two other families in Tripoli, they obtained a recreational boat, nearly 50 years old, from a smuggler. The brothers spent three months refurbishing it and getting life jackets for it.
On the night of April 23, they set off: Around 22 members of the extended Dandashi family along with members of the other two families. They were around 60 people. The goal was to reach Italy — some 2,000km across the Mediterranean.
An hour and a half into their journey, their boat was intercepted by the Lebanese navy. The boat collided with the navy ship and sank. The navy has blamed the boat captain.
Bilal, however, accused the Navy ship of intentionally ramming their boat to force it back.
“If it hadn’t hit us from the front ... we would have been able to cross,” he said. “They took a decision intentionally.”
The port has become like an airport. Young people, women and children are going to Europe. The trips are daily.”
Amid Dandashi | Bilal’s brother, who was also on the boat with him and whose three children were killed in the tragedy