Mangaluru: Capsized tugboat salvaged, one body found
Mangaluru, May 25: The tugboat 'Alliance' which had capsized off the coast on May 15 was salvaged on Tuesday from near Padubidri beach in Udupi district, after a five-day effort by a technical team.
The body of one of the three missing crew members was found trapped inside the boat, sources said.
The efforts to salvage the tug vessel, which began on May 19, was hindered due to technical issues.
Two firms, Yojaka and Badriya, carried out the operations which came out successful on Tuesday.
Of the eight crew members who were on board the vessel, two people died, while three swam to safety.
Three others were missing in the incident.
The tug belongs to Underwater Services Company and was assisting Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) to facilitate its single point mooring (SPM) operations when crude cargo arrives in ships.
Efforts will continue to trace the other two missing crew members, the sources said.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
