Zahle man presumed drowned in Lake Qaraoun
A Zahle man was presumed to have drowned on Friday in Lake Qaraoun. Tony Abdo Btaish, 55, jumped into the lake off a tourist boat with his brother-in-law.
Tourism Minister Elie Marouni, from Zahle, arrived on the scene along with a scuba-diving team and Civil Defense personnel to search for Btaish. “Swimming in the lake is dangerous and tourist boats should be better equipped to guarantee people’s safety,” said Marouni, who added that Civil Defense personnel were underequipped for such tasks.