Al-Markaziya – About a month ago, specifically on July 6, it was scheduled for the submarine "Spices," which was supposed to have departed from the port of Tenerife, Spain, on June 13, to arrive at the port of Tripoli to initiate the end of the tragic story of the boat that sank off the coast of Tripoli. This boat was carrying around 90 people, including women, children, and infants, who attempted to escape the hell of life on land only to meet their end drowned at the bottom of the sea. According to the plan, the submarine was set to stay for 7 days to conduct search and recovery operations for the remains of between 28 and 30 victims. However, due to technical reasons and other undisclosed factors, its engines went silent, along with the hopes of the victims' families, who until then had hoped to retrieve a piece of belongings from their drowned loved ones. These loved ones rest 470 meters deep in the waters, many of whom are children and women. What remains of the hopes buried at the bottom of the sea? Perhaps no more than the echoes of voices and the wails of mothers, and the last breaths of life. The story of the death boat has nearly been forgotten by the officials and has not been on their agenda since the incident on April 23, 2022. Nevertheless, the initiative taken by MP Ashraf Rifi, who is from the city of Tripoli, to bring in a submarine to recover the boat trapped at the bottom of the sea and the victims has brought the file back into the spotlight, even as discussions today, five months after the sinking, revolve around the remnants of the boat and the remains.
"The obstacles have been overcome," says MP Rifi, indicating that the submarine owned by an Indian company left Tenerife's port on August 7 and will arrive in Beirut on August 17, and will be transferred to Tripoli within a day or two to begin its mission. The submarine is scheduled to stay for a week to complete the mission of recovering the remains of the death boat, with the costs estimated at around 251,000 euros, in addition to approximately 50,000 dollars allocated for the crew's accommodation and the team responsible for archiving the mission. Certainly, it will not leave until its tasks are completed, even if it requires incurring additional expenses. Unless unforeseen circumstances arise, then there is little that can be done, but we hope for a positive outcome in recovering and honoring the remains. Rifi thanked the military leadership, represented by its commander Joseph Aoun, and the Lebanese Red Cross.
Regarding the issues that delayed the submarine’s arrival, Rifi clarified that they revolved around covering the insurance costs for the vessel, which are known to be very high in similar cases. However, charitable contributions helped overcome this obstacle, particularly with the assistance of a humanitarian organization, primarily composed of Lebanese members, as well as the role played by his brother, businessman Jamal Rifi. Beyond the bleakness of the rescue operation's scene, all hopes hinge on what the remnants of the boat will reveal, which will be part of the investigation file, especially after 11 lawyers filed a lawsuit against 13 members of the Lebanese Navy, demanding in the name of the families that the file be transferred to the Judicial Council "to ensure a balance in trials between the prosecution and the defense, in justice for the victims and their families." However, these truths and evidence are definitively linked to the extent of the damages sustained by the boat. As information conflicts regarding the possibility of the bodies not decomposing, sources point out that the cameras sent down to the boat’s sinking site exploded at a depth of 300 meters, raising more questions about the condition of the boat's structure after more than five months since its sinking, especially as families insist on photographing it from all four sides before its retrieval to verify the testimonies of the survivors regarding the intentional shooting and sinking of the boat. The time factor, which families had relied upon, has become nearly impossible, despite the promise made by Army Commander General Joseph Aoun to conduct transparent investigations. However, families continue to insist on removing the file from the military court where judgment and accusation are on a parallel course. Will the remnants of the boat reveal what will bring comfort to the families of the victims who will bury their loved ones’ remains? From a humanitarian perspective, honoring the deceased is a duty, but above ground, nothing will deter illegal human smuggling as long as options for living remain closer to a slow death.
