Lawyer assigned to follow up probe on death of Egyptian tourist in Lebanon

Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Mohamed Badr El Din Zayed said on Tuesday that a lawyer was assigned to follow up investigations opened into the drowning of an Egyptian tourist in a popular Mount Lebanon cave on Saturday.

Speaking to MENA, the diplomat said the Lebanese authorities cooperated with the embassy regarding the case over the past few days.

On Saturday, Mina Ashraf, an Egyptian national was announced breathless inside the lower cave of the Jeita Grotto, located 11 miles north of Beirut.

The rescue teams in the area exerted great efforts to pull out the body in tough weather conditions, the diplomat said.

Zayed said he received a phone call from Lebanese Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon on the accident.

A number of notes were given to the minister during the phone conversation, the diplomat said.

The lower part of the cave should be closed at this time of the year to avoid incidents related to high level of water and heavy rains, the ambassador told MENA.

The rescue teams working for the company responsible for the cave have arrived too late to the spot of the incident, the Egyptian ambassador said, noting that life suits were not available, he added.

Source: MENA