August 5. /TASS/: The Orient Queen cruise ship owned by Lebanon’s Abou Merhi Group has sunk in Beirut's port after the explosion that shocked the city yesterday. As OTV reported Wednesday, two people who were onboard when the incident happened died, while seven more were injured.
According to the cruise ship owner, the vessel was docked in Beirut's port. The blast seriously damaged the Orient Queen, allowing water to seep in. Attempts to quickly fix and save the ship failed and she sank in the port.
A powerful blast rocked the Beirut seaport area near the Lebanese Navy’s base on August 4, sending a shockwave through residential neighborhoods of the Lebanese capital. The shockwave destroyed and damaged dozens of buildings and cars. Local authorities say the blast was caused by the detonation of 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, stored in the port after being confiscated by the customs services in 2015.
According to the latest updates, more than 100 people were killed and nearly 4,000 others were injured. Since Wednesday, a two-week state of emergency is in place in the Lebanese capital, which was declared a disaster-stricken city. The authorities declared Wednesday a national day of mourning.
