On January 8, the Beirut media reported that all contact was lost with over 80 Syrian and Lebanese migrants who left Lebanon a month ago headed for Cyprus.

According to the Lebanese media, only the ship's captain, who set sail from Lebanon on December 11, was able to contact his family and inform them that he was being detained in Cyprus.

Over 30 minors among the missing persons

There is no news about the other 84 persons, among them over 30 minors, reported the Lebanese media, confirming what had already been reported by Alarm Phone, an emergency hotline used by migrants in distress at sea.

On January 3, the ship's captain was able to contact his family in Tripoli in northern Lebanon. This is what the lawyer, activist, and human rights defender, a Tripoli resident, Muhammad Sabluh, told the Lebanese daily L'Orient-Le Jour.

Also read: Lebanon: Dozens of suspected migrant smugglers detained

Questions over the migrants' fate, conduct of the Beirut government

Sabluh confirms that at the moment it is unclear why the other migrants, Syrian but also Lebanese nationals, have not contacted their families, as the ship's captain did.

"The Lebanese government must take responsibility and help us…How come no one is gathering information on the fate of 85 people?", asked Sabluh.

Nearly 1.5 million Syrians fleeing war in their country that began in 2011 have been present in Lebanon for the past decade.

Lebanon is the country with the world's highest per capita number of refugees, and since 2019 it has been facing the worst economic crisis of its history.

Also read: Syrian refugees deported from Lebanon at risk of torture and conscription