REPORT: Bodies of Indonesian boat victims return to Akkar

3^min

The airplane carrying the bodies of the Indonesian boat victims landed in Beirut International Airport at approximately noon Thursday and then headed to the victims' hometowns in Akkar.

The airplane of the Boeing 777 type was rented by the Lebanese government especially for this mission.

This as, the families of the victims were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the airplane carrying the bodies of their loved ones. 24 Civil Defense ambulances arrived to the scene in order to transfer the bodies to the northern city of Tripoli.

In this regard, Lebanon's Higher Relief Committee (HRC) Brigadier General Ibrahim Bashir stressed that the Lebanese file in Indonesia was wrapped up, noting that 34 bodies out of 35 were recovered today.

For his part, caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel supervised the logistical procedures in order to transfer the bodies to their relatives, noting that President Michel Sleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati thanked all the Lebanese who helped organize the transfer.

Charbel also said “the identities of the accused are well-known,” and vowed to exert further efforts to bring them all to justice.

Meanwhile, the town of Akkar braces to receive the victims’ bodies where prayers will be held at the courtyard of Berkayel’s secondary school.

The victims from the town of Qabeet were identified as Kawthar Taleb, wife of survivor Hussein Khodor, and their 7 children: Ali, Ahmad, Mariam, Wafaa, Riwaa, Rana and Malak.

Rana Taleb, wife of survivor Asaad Ali Asaad, and their children: Maya, Rania and Ali (whose body is yet to be found).

Other victims were identified as Ibtisam and Bassam Osman and Manal Hamza.

Omar Abbas, another victim, hails from the town of Majdala, Bassel al-Masri from the town of Barkayel and Sarab Abdul Hay from the Fnaydik town.

On Friday September 26, dozens of Lebanese nationals hailing from the town 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.

The boat was headed for Australia's Christmas Island.

To watch the full report, please click on the video above

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