It seems that the drowning of the "death boat" weeks ago off the coast of Tripoli has not deterred desperate youth from searching for any means to escape this country, even if it means risking the sea once again. Recently, news spread in the Tripoli and northern circles about a new boat that set sail from Lebanon to Europe carrying several youths from Tripoli, specifically from the areas of Qobbeh, Tabbaneh, and the port, with Germany as the intended destination. After reaching their destination and ensuring they were safe from any potential capture, images began to circulate among family and friends in Tripoli.
According to what is being circulated, boats are leaving Lebanon and reaching their destinations under very strict secrecy without any announcement or images. Some who lost contact with their friends later find out that they are outside Lebanon after searching for them. Notably, when pictures of the migrant youths are shared, most reactions and comments praise this endeavor, with commenters expressing hopes of escaping the hell of Lebanon themselves.
Additionally, private information being circulated reveals that a large group of young men from several villages and towns in Akkar is preparing to migrate by sea in the coming days on a boat heading to Italy. One 24-year-old recounted that all he knows about the journey is that the person he coordinated with is from the same town, and the facilitator is from a neighboring village. He stated, "I also know that three young men from my town will be with me on the same trip, one of whom is a soldier who has been absent from service for some time. We were all asked to secure an amount of $2000 within ten days; we will pay half of the amount before traveling and the other half upon arrival, according to the agreement with the facilitator, who is from a neighboring village. All I care about is getting out of this miserable country by any means and in any way; there is no life here."
In another story, a woman, a mother of five residing in the Dahar al-Mghar area of Qobbeh, shared that her husband decided over two months ago to migrate illegally by boat like many others from his city. She said, "My husband wants to migrate by sea after his job stopped. He was a driver for a school bus that closed its doors some time ago. He wants all of us to travel, but I don't wish to go—not out of love for this country but out of fear that we will meet the same fate as the Dandashi family and others. I am very scared for the children about this journey."
About a month ago, Omar, a young man from Tripoli, arrived in Germany and shared pictures of his tour there. All his acquaintances know he intended to travel and tried every possible way. He applied for immigration, and when he did not receive a response, he took a boat across the sea. Omar spoke with his wife after arriving and told her that he would sort out his affairs and work on "bringing her" with their two children.
