The family of a Lebanese soldier have described racing around Beirut trying to find their son, who has been missing since a massive explosion destroyed the port area and killed at least 137 people.
Estephan Saeed Rohanna, who was billeted in a military base next to the site of the explosion, has been missing since the blast and resulting shock wave ripped through the city, shattering windows and crumbling parts of buildings.
"We lost contact with him over 40 hours ago," his sister Monica Rohanna told The National on Thursday.
“We know nothing about his fate or whereabouts. We have no clue if he survived … the last person he communicated with was his female friend who got in contact with Estephan when he sent her a video of the fire at the warehouse.”
Ms Rohanna said rescue teams had recovered her brother's bag near the explosion site and his black BMW car was found parked 500 metres away.
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A woman stands inside a damaged restaurant. AP Photo -
People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA -
Workers are pictured at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA -
A man sleeps near a damaged car near the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. REUTERS -
Workers line at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA -
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA -
People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA -
A view of the port of Beirut on January 25, 2020, left, and on August 5, 2020, a day after the explosion. AFP -
Bride Israa Seblani poses for a picture in the same place where she was taking her wedding photos at the moment of the explosion. Reuters -
People stand with their belongings as they leave their damaged homes. Reuters -
A Lebanese man shows injuries on his back after the massive explosion in Beirut. EPA -
Men are seen sitting inside a damaged home, following Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters -
A pedestrian takes photos of a badly damaged building in Beirut. Bloomberg -
Lebanese Druze clerics check damaged cars. AP Photo -
A statue representing the Lebanese expatriate is seen in front of a building that was damaged by the explosion. AP Photo -
People walk with their belongings in the area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA -
The curtains in the rooms of the Le Gray hotel in the Lebanese capital Beirut swaying in the wind. AFP -
A view of a damaged Fransa Bank. EPA -
People check damaged vehicles. EPA -
Volunteers clean the streets amid the wreckage. Reuters -
People carry belongings after evacuating their damaged housing units at area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA -
A destroyed Bank Audi SAL branch stands in Beirut. Bloomberg -
A worker wearing a protective face mask stands at the entrance to a destroyed Fransabank SAL branch in Beirut. Bloomberg -
Volunteers carry brooms as they walk to clean the streets. Reuters -
A woman sits in front of a damaged building. EPA -
A general view of the Beirut port area after the massive explosion. EPA -
An aerial view shows the massive damage done to the Electricity of Lebanon building. AFP -
A view of the damaged building of the Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad. EPA -
Volunteers gather aid supplies to be distributed for those affected by Tuesday's blast. Reuters -
Lebanese men clears rubble, one day after the explosion at the Beirut Port, in the Gemayzeh area. EPA -
Lebanese youth salvage a velvet sofa from a destroyed apartment in the Gemayzeh area of Beirut. EPA -
Lebanese activists take part in a campaign to clean the damaged neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael. AFP -
An injured Lebanese shop owner sits at her desk selling her wares. EPA
“Not a single official contacted us regarding his fate or whereabouts. We have been crazily searching for him around Beirut hospitals or looking for any information that could help lead us to something or tell us if he is still alive,” Ms Rohanna said.
Hailing from Batroon in the north of Beirut, the Rohanna family took their search wider by posting a photo of their 26-year-old son across social media with a contact number for tips on his whereabouts.
The family has searched at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre, Geitaoui Hospital, Al Zahra Hospital and Al Rasoul Al Aazam Hospital and found no trace.
They are still holding out hope of finding him, heading to check if he had been admitted to Rafik Hariri University Hospital.
