UN calls for continuous support for Lebanon in hosting refugees after deadly boat crash

BEIRUT, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Sunday called for continuous international support for Lebanon and the refugees and migrants hosted in the country, according to a joint press release they sent to Xinhua.

The appeal by the two UN agencies came a day after a boat reportedly carrying 84 people capsized off the coast of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli, killing at least six including a 40-day-old baby, according to the press release.

"The tragic event underscores the shockingly high risks that many people are resorting to out of desperation ... It is crucial that continuous support is mobilized to help Lebanon as living conditions worsen for refugees and Lebanese alike," said Ayaki Ito, UNHCR representative in Lebanon.

For his part, Mathieu Luciano, head of IOM Lebanon, warned that Lebanon's economic crisis has triggered one of the largest waves of migration in the country's history.

"Driven by increasingly desperate economic circumstances, a growing number of people are leaving Lebanon through unsafe means. Safe and legal alternatives to irregular migration are urgently needed, including support to local livelihoods and improved access to services in communities at risk," he said.