Syria14 July, 20263 min read
Ferry Sinks in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor After Colliding With Temporary Military Bridge, Death Toll Reaches Six
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Ferry carrying more than 35 collided with a temporary bridge, sank in Deir ez-Zor. Death toll rose to six, with ongoing rescue operations.
Ferry sinks in Deir ez-Zor
A river ferry carrying more than 35 civilians sank in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor after colliding with a temporary military bridge built over the Euphrates River, and rescue teams continued searching for missing passengers after the early Sunday accident. The Syrian Civil Defense said the ferry suffered a mechanical failure before being swept away by the current into the Euphrates and colliding with the newly installed military bridge late Sunday, and it reported that rescue teams rescued 15 people. SANA reported that the death toll rose to six after rescue teams recovered two more bodies, and it said the confirmed fatalities now include four children and two young men.
SANA also quoted Osama Arabo, operations commander at the Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management in Deir Ezzor, saying the victims were an eight-year-old girl whose body was recovered near the town of Marat and a young man found near Hawijat Saqr. While some outlets described an initial toll of two children dead and more than 15 rescued, the Civil Defense figures cited by SANA placed the fatalities at six as search operations entered a third consecutive day on Tuesday.
Rescue operations and drones
Rescue efforts involved local residents and emergency response units from the health and defense ministries, and multiple reports said more than 15 people were pulled from the river while searches continued for those still missing.
WION said Syrian Civil Defence reported that thermal drones were being used to locate passengers, and it added that the operations of the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management teams continued in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and local residents.
The Times of India similarly described chaotic scenes near the river as rescue workers and local residents rushed to assist those struggling in the water after the ferry struck the bridge and sank into the Euphrates.
Arab News reported that Civil Defense said the ferry, carrying women and children among its passengers, suffered a mechanical failure before being swept by the river’s current into a temporary military pontoon bridge, causing it to capsize.
Arab News also quoted Dr. Obaida Abdul Razzaq, director of Deir Ezzor National Hospital, saying the bodies of two children and several injured survivors had been brought to the hospital, while it said those receiving treatment were in stable condition.
Investigation and regional response
As authorities worked to determine the number of missing passengers, SANA said search operations for those still missing entered a third consecutive day on Tuesday, with bodies transferred to the city’s National Hospital before being handed over to their families. The Times of India reported that authorities launched an investigation into how the ferry struck the bridge, and it said the cause of the accident was not immediately known. Türkiye expressed condolences over the deadly ferry accident in Syria’s eastern Deir ez-Zor province, and its Turkish Foreign Ministry said it was providing support for search and rescue operations while continuing to stand in solidarity with the Syrian government and people.
ANHA reported that the death toll from the Deir ez-Zor ferry sinking rises to 6, and it framed the incident alongside other developments in the region. In parallel, SANA’s broader Civil Defense tally for the same reporting period included 19 traffic accidents and 124 fires nationwide, underscoring that the ferry tragedy was unfolding amid other emergency responses across Syria.