On 22 September, 2022, a ship carrying migrants escaping Lebanon sank off the coast of Tartus, Syria.

The victims, intending to escape the Lebanese liquidity crisis, are estimated to number around 150 people, hailing from Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.

[5] According to eyewitnesses the boat was carrying many more people than it was supposed to hold; bad weather and large waves also contributed to the disaster.

[14] The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said the number of migrants attempting the dangerous journey from Lebanon to Europe more than doubled in 2022 for the second year in a row, while the primary destination for the smuggler boats had shifted from Cyprus to Italy.

[15] Additionally UNICEF reported that "years of political instability and economic crisis in Lebanon have pushed many children and families into poverty".