Ship Ukraine says is carrying stolen grain leaves Lebanon

By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s transport minister has tweeted that a Syrian ship that Ukraine says is carrying stolen Ukrainian grain has left a Lebanese port. Ukraine’s embassy in Beirut called on Lebanese authorities to prevent the ship from leaving. But judicial officials in Lebanon allowed it to sail following an investigation that showed the ship wasn’t carrying stolen Ukrainian grain. Transport Minister Ali Hamie tweeted Thursday that the Laodicea had left Lebanon’s territorial waters. The departure comes just days before cash-strapped Lebanon receives Ukraine’s first grain shipment since Russia’s invasion began in late February. Syria’s transport ministry later said the ship arrived in the Syrian port of Tartus.