Corpses of Victims of Indonesia Ferry Sinking Return to Lebanon

The corpses of the victims of the ferry sinking off the coast of Indonesia were returned to Lebanon on Thursday.

The corpses of 34 asylum-seekers arrived at noon at Rafik Hariri International Airport where their loved ones were waiting for them.

Several officials, including caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour, were among the crowd at the airport.

Charbel hoped that "this will be the last tragedy the Lebanese people will confront."

He also thanked the Lebanese people for their "civilized" reception of the corpses of the victims.

He added that investigations are ongoing with the people linked to the ferry sinking, stressing that they will be brought to justice.

The corpses will then be transferred to the northern city of Tripoli and later the northern region of Akkar where most of the victims hail from.

DNA tests that were being performed on the corpses delayed their return to Lebanon.

The corpses suffered decomposition because they were at sea.

Twenty-eight Lebanese asylum-seekers drowned in a boat sinking off Indonesia in late September as they sought to sail to Australia.

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry said there were 68 Lebanese, including children, on board the ill-fated vessel and that 18 survived the ordeal while at least 29 were still missing.

Most of them hail from Akkar where thousands of Syrians have sought refuge from the 30-month conflict that has rocked their country.

The asylum-seekers were reportedly the victims of people smugglers who prey on them and Syrian refugees seeking to better their lives.