Dozens of people have died after a boat carrying Lebanese migrants and refugees capsized off the coast of Syria.

The Lebanese Minister of Transport has stated that 71 people have died in the incident so far. Based on the information that there were about 120 to 150 people on the boat, he said that the number of dead may increase as rescue and search operations are ongoing.

According to the Syrian government, 20 people who were rescued from the accident are being treated at Basel Hospital in Tartous. Samer Qubrusli, director general of the Syrian port, said that there were difficulties in the rescue operation due to strong winds and rough seas.

Lebanon has a population of six million, including one million Syrian refugees, and has been in the grip of a severe economic recession since late 2019 that has pushed more than three-quarters of the population into poverty. Therefore, thousands of Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians have been illegally entering Europe for the past few months in search of better opportunities in Europe.

Also last April, a boat carrying dozens of Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians by sea to Italy capsized after clashes with the Lebanese navy, killing dozens.

Similarly, on Thursday, Lebanese authorities rescued a boat carrying 55 migrants and refugees from the coast of the northern region of Akkar.