The boat encountered a strong storm and capsized in the water The rescue effort continued for more than 15 consecutive hours

A fishing boat carrying five fishermen capsized in the open sea near Arwad Island, resulting in the deaths of three of them, while two others managed to survive, in an accident off the coast of the Syrian city of Tartus.

The boat encountered a strong storm on Tuesday night, which it could not withstand, causing it to overturn in the water. Rescue teams were able to save two people alive, while the bodies of the fishermen were recovered later this morning.

The Civil Defense teams, in cooperation with the General Directorate of Maritime Ports, carried out continuous search efforts for more than 15 hours to locate the fishermen, amid unprecedented sea waves and difficult weather conditions.

Syria has been experiencing a polar wave accompanied by heavy snow and rain for several days, which has led to floods sweeping through homes and rising river levels. The Meteorological Authority warned citizens and sailors of the hazardous weather, emphasizing the need to adhere to all safety measures.

Despite the warnings, some fishermen continued their work at sea, contributing to the unfortunate accident.

The snow and rainstorm also caused multiple incidents on roads across various regions, particularly in western Homs countryside, where floods swept through homes and caused rivers to overflow, according to the Syrian Meteorological Authority and Civil Defense page.