President Sleiman voices relief over departure of survivors of Australia-bound boat disaster

President Michel Sleiman expressed on Saturday his relief over the departure of the Lebanese nationals who survived the Australia-bound boat disaster.

The state-run National News Agency reported that President Sleiman voiced hope that the Indonesian authorities would deploy all possible efforts to swiftly return the bodies of the victims to their relatives.

On Thursday, Lebanese Charge d'Affaires in Indonesia Joanna Qazzi announced that around 42 bodies were retrieved from the sea.
The survivors are expected to arrive in Beirut on Sunday.

On Friday September 26, dozens of Lebanese nationals hailing from the towns of Akkar were reported dead after a boat carrying them to Australia sank off the coast of Indonesia.

Preliminary information showed that an Iraqi national known as Abou Salah was in charge of transferring the persons to Indonesia before reaching Australia.