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UNIFIL rescues Lebanese illegal immigrants in sea

Xinhua, November 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) navy troops participated in a rescue operation of a boat with illegal immigrants on their way from Lebanon to Cyprus, a spokesperson of the UNIFIL said on Thursday.

The spokesperson said that the Lebanese and Cypriot authorities contacted the UNIFIL Commander General Luciano Portolano and asked for help in a search and rescue operation in the sea.

"The UNIFIL immediately dispatched navy troops, in coordination with the Lebanese and Cypriot authorities on Nov. 3 and 4, rescued all passengers and transferred them to Larnaca," he added.

The illegal immigrants left the port of the northern city of Tripoli on Friday, but sent a distress call signaling danger they are encountering in the sea on Tuesday night.

The Cyprus side rescued 26 people, mainly women and children, believed to be Syrian and Lebanese migrants from the boat sinking, Cypriot Defense Minister Christoforos Fokaides said.

According to UN refugee agency, over 2,500 people have died while trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2015, most of them Syrian refugees. Endit