"Lebanon High Officials Knew About Beirut Port Risks for 6 Years"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] On the 4th (local time), Al Jazeera reported on the 5th that government senior officials had known about the dangers of the flammable substance ammonium nitrate, identified as the cause of the explosion at Beirut port in Lebanon, for over six years.

Based on related documents released online, the broadcast pointed out, "Beirut citizens only learned that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate were stored in the port warehouse after the massive explosion, but senior officials were already aware of this."

It continued, "Lebanon's senior officials had known for more than six years that ammonium nitrate was stored in Warehouse 12 of Beirut port and were aware of its dangers," the report said.

According to the report, in September 2013, ammonium nitrate loaded on a ship owned by a Russian company arrived at Beirut port. The cargo ship, which was heading from Georgia to Mozambique, suffered mechanical failure and docked at Beirut port, but Lebanese authorities blocked its departure, leading the shipowner and crew to abandon the vessel.

The customs office sent official letters to the court from June 2014 to October 2017, requesting a decision on how to handle the ammonium nitrate, which had been unloaded at least five times but continued to be stored in the port warehouse due to its danger. The customs office proposed either exporting the ammonium nitrate or handing it over to the military or civilian chemical companies.

However, the court has delayed the matter for unknown reasons, and Al Jazeera reported that Lebanon's senior officials were fully aware of the storage and dangers of the ammonium nitrate. Middle Eastern media also expressed shock that such a large quantity of explosive flammable material was stored in a warehouse near the city and pointed out that structural corruption among vested interests could be the fundamental cause.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.