Submarine mission off Tripoli postponed due to high waves

A submarine arrived Monday at Tripoli's port to retrieve a boat that had capsized last April near the port and dozens of bodies still missing at sea.

The Lebanese Army later announced that high sea waves have forced the postponement of the submarine's mission until further notice.

The high waves could "threaten the safety of the submarine and its crew," the army said in a statement.

The boat carrying more than 80 migrants had capsized on April 23 off the coast of Tripoli. Seven bodies were recovered, with 47 people rescued and the others still missing. Survivors blamed the Lebanese navy of causing the accident by ramming into the boat. The army denied the accusations and said it was the migrant boat's captain who carried out dangerous maneuvers leading to the crash of his vessel into the navy's one.

Lebanon requested international assistance to retrieve the boat.

On Wednesday, an exploratory submarine, the Pisces VI, arrived from Spain to Beirut. It was then transported to Tripoli where it was assembled to start its mission on Monday morning.

The mission aims to investigate the incident, by extracting evidence.

Chief of the Lebanese navy Haitham Danawi said that the mission might take several days.