The death toll in the crash of a vessel carrying illegal migrants from Lebanon in the Mediterranean Sea off the Syrian city of Tartus has risen to 77, Report informs, citing SANA news agency.
According to Syrian Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabash, an operation to search for the ship's passengers, who are still missing, is ongoing. The minister also clarified that the Syrian profile services are currently working to identify those dead to transport the bodies to the Syrian-Lebanese border and transfer them to the Lebanese Red Cross Society.
Earlier, the Syrian media cited data on 73 dead.
A sunken ship with migrants from among the Syrians, Lebanese and Palestinians left Lebanon a few days ago and was heading for the coast of Greece. There could be 150 refugees on board.