Ship owner 1st to sue over Beirut port explosion

Leban's state-run National News ncy says a Lebanese businessman whose cruise ship was destroyed and in Beirut port explosion and who had some staff members killed and wounded has filed a lawsuit against those who will be found responsible for this week's blast.

Orient Queen owner Merhi Abou Merhi on Friday became first person to sue over Tuesday explosion that killed at least 154 people, wounded more than 5,000 and damd wide parts of Lebanese capital. Two Orient Queen employees, a Syrian and an Ethiopian, were killed and seven ors were wounded in blast.

news ncy quoted Abu Merhi as saying re should be a “fair, quick and transparent investigation” and that state should compensate people for losses to help country's already suffering ecomy. Leban's state news ncy says chief of customs department has been questioned by a judge over this week's deadly blast in Beirut, after which judge placed him under arrest.

ncy says investigative Judge Ghassan Khoury decided Badri Daher should remain in custody after questioning him for five hours on Friday. Sixteen or port officials and staffers are also under arrest. National News ncy gave furr details about arrest, three days after large amounts of ammonium nitrate exploded at Beirut's port. explosion killed 154 people, wounded more than 5,000 and caused wide destruction.

Daher told Associated Press on Thursday that he and his predecessor sent six letters, last of which was in 2017, to a judge, warning repeatedly that huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate stored in port was a danger. y had asked judicial officials for a ruling on a way to remove it. Daher said it was his duty to “alert” authorities of dangers but that is most he could do.