When asked about their hopes for the arrival of the Indian submarine at the Port of Tripoli to begin the process of retrieving the remains of the victims of the death boat, the residents of Tripoli express a sense of despair, saying they feel "dead - alive." This reflects the tragedy that the families in the northern capital continue to endure, mourning their loved ones lost in the depths of the sea. Despite this tragedy, attempts at illegal immigration continue daily. Even the merchants of death have not been deterred by the disaster, as they persist in attempting to "smuggle" individuals, including children, women, and the elderly, despite measures taken by the Lebanese Navy to curb this phenomenon tied to various Lebanese shores, as they flee the hell of local political, economic, social, and security conditions.
Just a month ago, there were discussions about the Indian submarine Spices 6 departing from the Spanish port of Tenerife, scheduled to arrive in Tripoli on July 6 or 7. Suddenly, the submarine's engines went silent, along with the discussions regarding its arrival to carry out its mission of retrieving approximately 33 victims lying at a depth of 470 meters in the watery grave, the majority of whom are children and women, along with the wreckage of the boat. On that day, those involved in the special initiative to bring the Indian submarine to retrieve the victims cited administrative reasons, particularly related to insurance issues. After all arrangements were completed in coordination with the Army Command, talks of a new arrival date for the submarine resumed, but some prefer not to specify a date out of respect for the families' feelings, who are beginning to lose hope of embracing the remains of their loved ones.
As the families have lost faith in the officials, who have resorted to issuing statements of condemnation instead of taking effective action on the ground and logistical support, the situation has only worsened due to delays in any potential assistance raised by reasons and excuses that do not align with state logic. Sources following the case of the death boat victims revealed to "Al-Markazia" that the preliminary date set for the submarine's arrival in Tripoli harbor was July 13. They emphasized that hopes are pinned on what the submarine will reveal in terms of truths to be added to the investigative file, especially after 11 lawyers filed a legal complaint against 13 members of the Lebanese Navy, demanding, on behalf of the families, to refer the case to the Supreme Judicial Council "to ensure balance in the trials between prosecution and defense, for the sake of fairness to the victims and their families." However, this evidence is inevitably linked to the extent of the damage inflicted on the boat, which had approximately 85 migrants on board, of whom 48 survived, and 7 bodies were recovered.
While conflicting information circulates regarding the potential decomposition of the bodies, sources indicate that the cameras lowered to the seabed at the site of the boat's sinking exploded at a depth of 300 meters, raising further questions about the condition of the wreckage, particularly since the families insist that it be filmed from all four sides before retrieval to confirm the accounts provided by the survivors regarding intentional damage and sinking. Time is critical in preserving what remains of the boat's structure and the bodies of the victims resting at a depth of 450 meters. On land, investigations continue with the survivors based on the complaint filed by 11 lawyers. The Director of the Prisoners’ Rights Center at the Lawyers Syndicate in Tripoli, lawyer Mohammed Sablooh, stated to "Al-Markazia" that they heard testimonies from 8 survivors at the Military Prosecutor's office at the Ministry of Defense, following the military investigator's hearing of 6 testimonies yesterday. He confirmed that the demand to refer the case to the Supreme Judicial Council remains, despite the promise made by Army Commander General Joseph Aoun to conduct transparent investigations. Nonetheless, the families insist on transferring the case from the military court, where prosecution and defense are on the same side.
While waiting for the submarine that families are counting on to recover and bury their loved ones, along with the lawyers and investigators hoping to gather evidence from the survivors' testimonies, illegal smuggling boats remain active at the Port of Tripoli, and no one inquires about their dark fates. The essential goal is for them to escape their suffering, whether their fate is the grave or the depths of the sea. Sablooh concludes, "We are on the brink of a social explosion while people gamble with their lives and the lives of their children, fleeing from the hell they are burning in, while the officials insist on their stubbornness!"
