Lebanese army rescues would-be migrants from sinking boat off the northern coast

Shafaq News/ The Lebanese army announced on Tuesday that it rescued 54 would-be migrants who were on a boat that broke down and was used to "smuggle people illegally."

"Following information about a boat sinking off the Arida beach while it was being used to smuggle people illegally, an army naval patrol was able to rescue 54 people, including women and children, all of whom were of Syrian nationality," the army said in a statement.

A security source told L'Orient Today's correspondent in the North that the passengers were trying to reach Cyprus.

The source added that the boat was taken to the port of Tripoli and first aid was provided by the Lebanese Red Cross teams to its passengers.

Details of the illegal sailing attempt are currently being investigated.

A similar incident happened just nine days ago when the Lebanese army rescued more than 50 people, mostly Syrians, from a sinking migrant boat off the northern coast.

On Dec. 1, the Lebanese army said it disrupted a smuggling operation that saw 110 people, mostly Syrians, attempting to leave the country by sea.

Lebanon hosts around two million Syrians, only 800,000 of whom are on the United Nations' register. The Lebanese army often thwarts smuggling operations by sea and arrests the smugglers and would-be migrants