• A relative carries the coffin of a woman who died when an inflatable boat sank off the Lebanese port of Tripoli, at her funeral in the city. Reuters
    A relative carries the coffin of a woman who died when an inflatable boat sank off the Lebanese port of Tripoli, at her funeral in the city. Reuters
  • A man carries the body of a young girl who died when the boat sank, as a mourner fires in the air during the funeral procession. AP Photo
    A man carries the body of a young girl who died when the boat sank, as a mourner fires in the air during the funeral procession. AP Photo
  • Waves were said to have submerged the overloaded boat shortly after it left the coastal town of Qalamoun. Reuters
    Waves were said to have submerged the overloaded boat shortly after it left the coastal town of Qalamoun. Reuters
  • Gunmen fire in the air and shout slogans during the funeral procession for seven people killed when a boat packed with migrants sunk over the weekend as the Lebanese navy tried to force it back to shore, in Tripoli, north Lebanon, Monday, April 25, 2022. The small vessel was carrying nearly 60 people, many times its capacity, when the disaster struck on Saturday night. The tragedy was the latest in a growing trend involving mostly Lebanese and Syrians trying to travel to Europe from Lebanon in search of better lives. (AP Photo / Hassan Ammar)
    Gunmen fire in the air and shout slogans during the funeral procession for seven people killed when a boat packed with migrants sunk over the weekend as the Lebanese navy tried to force it back to shore, in Tripoli, north Lebanon, Monday, April 25, 2022. The small vessel was carrying nearly 60 people, many times its capacity, when the disaster struck on Saturday night. The tragedy was the latest in a growing trend involving mostly Lebanese and Syrians trying to travel to Europe from Lebanon in search of better lives. (AP Photo / Hassan Ammar)
  • Women lament those drowned in the accident. According to the Lebanese Navy, 45 people were rescued and seven bodies found. EPA
    Women lament those drowned in the accident. According to the Lebanese Navy, 45 people were rescued and seven bodies found. EPA
  • Mourners at the funeral of one of the victims. Lebanese have sought to escape their country's financial woes by trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. EPA
    Mourners at the funeral of one of the victims. Lebanese have sought to escape their country's financial woes by trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. EPA
  • Mourners at the funeral of one of the victims in Tripoli. Reuters
    Mourners at the funeral of one of the victims in Tripoli. Reuters

MENA

Lebanon

Lebanon tragedy: military asked to investigate why migrant boat capsized

Seven people, including a child, were killed and more were missing.

The National

April 27, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Lebanon’s government asked the military on Tuesday to investigate the deadly sinking of a migrant boat, following allegations by survivors that the navy was responsible for the accident.

It was still unclear what led the small, overloaded boat to sink off the coast of Tripoli on Saturday.

Seven people, including a child, were killed and more are missing.

The boat carried at least 60 passengers, many times over its capacity. Authorities said 47 were rescued.

The military was given the task of conducting “transparent investigations into the circumstances behind the incident” under the supervision of the judiciary, AP cited Information Minister Ziad Makari as saying following an emergency Cabinet session.

Survivors accused the Lebanese Navy of ramming the vessel while trying to force it back to shore.

Lebanese officials have blamed smugglers for overloading the boat and ignoring safety precautions.

President Michel Aoun said the incident must be investigated because of “conflicting accounts of events”.

Senior military officials, including army chief Joseph Aoun, navy commander Col Haitham Dnaoui, and head of military intelligence Brig Gen Tony Kahwaji were summoned to present the findings of their preliminary investigation.

  • The funeral procession after seven people were killed when a boat packed with migrants sank at the weekend as the Lebanese navy tried to force it back to shore, in Tripoli, north Lebanon. AP
    The funeral procession after seven people were killed when a boat packed with migrants sank at the weekend as the Lebanese navy tried to force it back to shore, in Tripoli, north Lebanon. AP
  • Mourners fire in the air during a funeral in Tripoli of a victim killed in last weekend's migrant boat sinking. AFP
    Mourners fire in the air during a funeral in Tripoli of a victim killed in last weekend's migrant boat sinking. AFP
  • Mourners fire in the air during a funeral in Tripoli of a child killed in last weekend's migrant boat sinking. AFP
    Mourners fire in the air during a funeral in Tripoli of a child killed in last weekend's migrant boat sinking. AFP
  • Col Haitham Dinnawi, commander of the Lebanese navy, shows the Lebanese navy boat which was attempting to force a small vessel with migrants to turn back to the shore before it sank, during a press conference in Beirut. AP
    Col Haitham Dinnawi, commander of the Lebanese navy, shows the Lebanese navy boat which was attempting to force a small vessel with migrants to turn back to the shore before it sank, during a press conference in Beirut. AP
  • A handout photo allegedly shows survivors of a capsized boat on board a Lebanese army vessel after they were rescued off the coast of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. AFP
    A handout photo allegedly shows survivors of a capsized boat on board a Lebanese army vessel after they were rescued off the coast of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. AFP
  • A handout photo provided by the Lebanese Army website reportedly shows survivors of a capsized boat on board an army boat after they were rescued off the coast of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. AFP
    A handout photo provided by the Lebanese Army website reportedly shows survivors of a capsized boat on board an army boat after they were rescued off the coast of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. AFP
  • Medics wait on the pier as soldiers search for survivors off the coast of Tripoli, after an overloaded migrant boat capsized off north Lebanon during a chase by naval forces. AFP
    Medics wait on the pier as soldiers search for survivors off the coast of Tripoli, after an overloaded migrant boat capsized off north Lebanon during a chase by naval forces. AFP
  • Lebanese army soldiers try to calm an angry relative of a man who is one of the missing migrants from an overnight sinking of a migrant boat, outside the seaport, in Tripoli, north Lebanon. AP
    Lebanese army soldiers try to calm an angry relative of a man who is one of the missing migrants from an overnight sinking of a migrant boat, outside the seaport, in Tripoli, north Lebanon. AP
  • Lebanese army soldiers search for survivors after a boat capsized off the coast of Tripoli overnight. Reuters
    Lebanese army soldiers search for survivors after a boat capsized off the coast of Tripoli overnight. Reuters
  • People gather at the morgue entrance of a hospital in Tripoli as others carry the corpse of one of the people who died when their boat capsized a day earlier off the coast of Libya. AFP
    People gather at the morgue entrance of a hospital in Tripoli as others carry the corpse of one of the people who died when their boat capsized a day earlier off the coast of Libya. AFP
  • A man gives a drink of water to a woman grieving at the entrance of the morgue. AFP
    A man gives a drink of water to a woman grieving at the entrance of the morgue. AFP
  • A grieving man is helped away at the entrance of the morgue of a hospital in Tripoli. AFP
    A grieving man is helped away at the entrance of the morgue of a hospital in Tripoli. AFP
  • A man cries at the entrance of the morgue. AFP
    A man cries at the entrance of the morgue. AFP
  • Lebanon was once a country that took in refugees but since a financial meltdown that began in late 2019 people have been leaving on boats in an attempt to get to Europe. AFP
    Lebanon was once a country that took in refugees but since a financial meltdown that began in late 2019 people have been leaving on boats in an attempt to get to Europe. AFP
  • Children crying at the morgue entrance in Tripoli. AFP
    Children crying at the morgue entrance in Tripoli. AFP
  • A Lebanese Army photo shows a boat with people rescued from distress off the Lebanese coast. EPA
    A Lebanese Army photo shows a boat with people rescued from distress off the Lebanese coast. EPA
  • Red Cross forces giving first aid to people rescued off the Lebanese coast. EPA
    Red Cross forces giving first aid to people rescued off the Lebanese coast. EPA
  • Lebanese soldiers stand guard at the entrance of the port of Tripoli, as an ambulance carries survivors from the boat. AFP
    Lebanese soldiers stand guard at the entrance of the port of Tripoli, as an ambulance carries survivors from the boat. AFP
  • The Army said high waves submerged the overloaded boat, which was believed to have been carrying at least 56 migrants. AFP
    The Army said high waves submerged the overloaded boat, which was believed to have been carrying at least 56 migrants. AFP
  • Lebanese soldiers stand guard at the port. AFP
    Lebanese soldiers stand guard at the port. AFP

The report has not been made public.

The Cabinet ordered the government’s Higher Relief Commission with providing assistance to the families of victims and survivors and appealed to the Social Affairs Ministry to communicate with international organisations to provide health and psychological help.

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If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

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3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

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Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.

That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.

"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.

Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."

People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.

"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."

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Updated: April 27, 2022, 7:04 AM
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