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Beirut port explosion mystery solved? UPDATES: 3 ships disappeared. Mikhail Voytenko News August 5, 2020 3:28 pm Aug 5 1515 UTC UPDATE: Cruise ship ORIENT QUEEN, berthed at Beirut near blast site, was seriously damaged, started taking on water, capsized and sank starboard along berth, remaining partially above waterline. 2 crew reportedly (but not yet confirmed) died. Cruise ship ORIENT QUEEN, IMO 8701193, GT 7478, built 1989, flag Bahamas, operator Abou Merhi Cruises. Aug 5 0730 UTC UPDATE: Three ships were berthed near explosion site, AIS of all these ships are off during last 14-16 hours, immediately or shortly after,...

The Orient Queen cruise ship capsized overnight in Beirut, taking on water at her berth following a deadly blast in Lebanon on Tuesday evening. The explosion also claimed the head office of the ship's operator, Abou Merhi Cruises, as well as the entire Abou Merhi Group. Two crew are reported dead while seven are listed in critical condition.

edited video: American Evacuation from Lebanon, July 2006 (46,398kB WMV9)      raw video (MP4)   2244608 Jul 22 18:12 bus01.MP4   5881856 Jul 22 18:13 musterpoint01.MP4      3850240 Jul 22 18:13 musterpoint02.MP4   3850240 Jul 22 18:14 port01.MP4   3211264 Jul 22 18:14 port02.MP4   6291456 Jul 22 18:15 ship01.MP4   4947968 Jul 22 18:16 ship02.MP4  12124160 Jul 22 18:17 ship03.MP4    507904 Jul 22 18:17 ship04.MP4   2408448 Jul 22 18:18 taxi01.MP4   3850240 Jul 22 18:18 taxii02.MP4 PHOTOS RY2.QO01.jpg                             2006-JUL-21 21:51:50   236kRY2Bus01.jpg                             2006-JUL-21 21:51:50   218kRY2Bus02.jpg                             2006-JUL-21 21:51:50   133kRY2Cruise01.jpg                          2006-JUL-21 21:51:49   200kRY2Cruise02.jpg                          2006-JUL-21 21:51:49   263kRY2Cruise03.jpg                          2006-JUL-21 21:51:49   230kRY2Cruise04.jpg                          2006-JUL-21 21:51:49   227kRY2Cruise05.jpg                          2006-JUL-21 21:51:50   136kRY2Cruise06.jpg                          2006-JUL-21 21:51:50   230kRY2OrientQueen02.jpg                     2006-JUL-21 21:53:57   279kRY2OriientQueen01.jpg                    2006-JUL-21 21:53:57   252kRY2Port01.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:53:57   245kRY2Port02.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:53:57   693kRY2Port03.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:53:57   220kRY2Port04.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:55:13   289kRY2Port05.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:55:13   348kRY2Port06.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:55:13   254kRY2Port07.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:55:13   254kRY2Port09.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:55:13   216kRY2Port10.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:57:18   268kRY2Port11.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:57:18   795kRY2Port13.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 21:57:18   249kRY2Port14.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 22:09:46   227kRY2Port15.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 22:09:46   235kRY2Port16.jpg                            2006-JUL-21 22:09:46   697kRY2Preboard01.jpg                        2006-JUL-21 22:09:46   262kRY2Preboard02.jpg                        2006-JUL-21 22:09:46   280kRY2Preboard03.jpg                        2006-JUL-21 22:10:41   280kRY2Preboard04.jpg                        2006-JUL-21 22:10:41   252k

Freerepublic Exclusive: Photo Diary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In port prior to boarding -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scenes from the muster point where evacuees check in and board buses to the Orient Queen.     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Glimpse of Safety --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the bus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bus ride to the Beirut port from the muster point near the Embassy.   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In port prior to boarding -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buses arrive at Beirut port, Orient Queen is in the background. British helicopters arrive, land, take on evacuees from buses, and then depart.       Lebanese soldier providing port security lights up a cigarette. Lebanese navy (both ships!)...

"I'm out!!! Got out on the Orient Queen yesterday to Larnaca. Am now in Athens and will be in Chicago tonight. More then. Feel free to share this, as I don't have time to post yet. Got lots of pictures of the evacuation. And about half of the passengers WERE NOT U.S. Citizens!!! Lebanese nationals with Green cards and what all. My group were almost the ONLY people speaking English. It was sickening. MAKE THEM ALL PAY!!! They were treating it as a vacation cruise oblivious that their country is being destroyed. We were so mad we couldn't stand it....