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Ferry sinks in Deir ez-Zor
A river ferry carrying more than 35 civilians sank in the Euphrates River in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor after colliding with a temporary military bridge built over the river, according to local media and the Syrian Civil Defense.
The collision caused passengers to fall into the water, and Syrian Civil Defense rescue teams pulled more than 15 survivors from the current as search and recovery operations continued for missing passengers.
The Eastern Herald said the ferry struck a bridge in eastern Syria on Sunday and killed at least two children while throwing every passenger into the water.
The incident happened in Deir al-Zor, the main city in Deir Ezzor province, where fixed infrastructure spanning the Euphrates was destroyed during fighting and years of displacement, leaving river ferries as the primary way for residents to cross between the city’s banks.
Rescue updates and statements
Arab News said Civil Defense reported two children were killed and 15 people rescued as responders continued searching for missing passengers after the ferry carrying more than 35 civilians sank in the Euphrates River.
Al-Jazeera Net reported that as rescue efforts continued, the death toll from the ferry sinking had risen to 4, after locals found the body of a young man in the river near the village of Jadeed Bakara, about 25 kilometers from the collision site.
Al-Jazeera Net also said the authorities stopped ferry operations and opened the military bridge and the dirt road bridge for movement between the two banks of the Euphrates.
In the same report, Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasrah expressed his deep sorrow over the incident and said his ministry stands with the locals and continues to support search and rescue efforts.
What’s at stake next
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it had learned with great sadness of the casualties in the ferry accident on the Euphrates River in Deir ez-Zor Governorate and extended condolences to families and to the Syrian people.
“The Turkish Foreign Ministry reiterated its continued solidarity with Syria”
Anadolu Ajansı reported that Turkey said it provides support for search and rescue operations and will continue to stand by the Syrian government and people at this stage.
Al-Jazeera Net said the ferry incident followed a technical fault that caused it to drift and collide with the new military bridge, and it described ongoing search operations under the bridge.
With the final casualty toll still unknown in multiple accounts, the sources also tied the broader risk to how Deir ez-Zor relies on river ferries and boats amid destruction of most bridges during years of conflict, with means that often lack safety, security and regular maintenance measures.
