Finnish peace monitor still unaccounted for in Lebanon

Salvage operation suspended

Jarno Tapio Mäkinen

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The salvage operation at the bombed-out wreckage of the United Nations observation post in the Lebanese village of Khiam, has been suspended because of an upsurge in fighting in the area. The post was destroyed in an Israeli air raid. One of the members of the group, Finnish Navy Lieutenant Jarno Mäkinen, is still missing, and believed dead.
      The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the UN have demanded that Israel allow rescue operations on the area, but Israel has refused to cease its military operations.
      Three bodies have been recovered from the ruins. The identity of two of them, a Canadian and a Chinese officer, has been confirmed. The third body is believed to be that of an Austrian officer, but the results of DNA analysis have not yet been confirmed.
      Search operations were interrupted on Wednesday last week.
      "The situation is very regrettable. This is especially hard on the family", said lieutenant colonel Veli-Matti Rintala, deputy commander of the of the Defence Forces international Centre, on Wednesday.
      According to Rintala, it may take days before the Indian salvage will be able to continue the search.
     
The main obstacle facing the salvage operation has been the continuing gunfire in the area. The area is difficult to access, and there is a constant risk of more fighting.
      "The clearance cannot be managed manually. We need machines. It is difficult to get them to the site, because there are no roads", Rintala explains.
      The fighting has also left unexploded ordnance in the area.
      The Finnish Defence Staff announced last week that it is certain that the Finnish officer is dead.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  EU ministers approve watered-down demand for Lebanon ceasefire (2.8.2006)
  Tuomioja: EU countries prepare for Lebanon peacekeeping force (1.8.2006)
  Jerusalem memorial ceremony for four UN observers killed in Israeli bombing (31.7.2006)

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