Top Turkish officials due in Lebanon after huge blast

ANKARA

Turkey’s top officials will visit Lebanon’s capital on Saturday following a massive deadly explosion shaking Beirut this week, according to Turkish authorities.

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu are expected to meet Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the office of the vice president said on Friday.

A fire at a warehouse at the Port of Beirut led to a huge blast on Tuesday causing massive material damage in several neighborhoods of the capital. At least 154 people were killed and around 5,000 others injured in tragic incident.

The Lebanese government announced the formation of an investigation committee to probe the blast within a period of five days.

The blast rocked Lebanon while the country is experiencing its worst economic crisis, including a dramatic drop in the value of the Lebanese pound against the US dollar.

On Thursday, a Turkish military plane carrying aid and a search and rescue team arrived in Beirut.

The aircraft was carrying 21 National Medical Rescue personnel, two emergency units, three tents, medicine and medical equipment, 10 Disaster and Emergency Management Authority personnel, a search and rescue vehicle, three Turkish Red Crescent personnel, a search and rescue team as well as medical and humanitarian aid.