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Two Mexican fishermen have been rescued alive from the Pacific Ocean after an extraordinary five-day ordeal in which they survived inside a cooler after their fishing boat sank, leaving them stranded roughly 150 miles off Mexico’s coast.

Daniel Guerrero Martinez and Jose Luis Portales Villegas were found alive on Wednesday, five days after contact with their vessel was lost. The men reportedly had no supply of food or drinking water during their ordeal and were suffering from severe dehydration by the time rescuers reached them.

The dramatic episode began last Thursday, when Martinez and Villegas departed from the fishing town of Paredón aboard their vessel, the Camaronera. Communication with the fishermen was lost the following day, and authorities later determined that their boat had gone down.

Investigators initially believe severe weather conditions and powerful winds may have caused the vessel to sink, although authorities are continuing to investigate exactly what happened.

A large-scale search-and-rescue operation was launched after the fishermen were reported missing. Boats and aircraft combed the Pacific in hopes of finding them, with the Mexican Navy later joining the effort and deploying both naval and aerial resources across the search area.

After days without any sign of the missing men, rescuers finally located Martinez and Villegas approximately 240 kilometers — about 150 miles — off the coast of the Mexican state of Chiapas. Despite spending five days exposed at sea inside the cooler, both men were still alive.

The fishermen were suffering from serious dehydration after their prolonged time in the ocean, and immediately after their rescue, they were airlifted by helicopter to a hospital for emergency medical treatment.

The Mexican Navy praised the personnel involved in the operation, saying their efforts made it possible to return the two fishermen alive to their families after an ordeal that could easily have ended in tragedy.

Authorities have meanwhile opened an investigation into the sinking of the Camaronera as they seek to determine precisely what caused the fishing vessel to go down and leave Martinez and Villegas fighting for survival for five days in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic week in Chareidi politics has brought major developments on several fronts, from a significant move by Shas chairman Aryeh Deri to strengthen the party’s rabbinic leadership under Rav Yitzchak Yosef, to escalating threats of a split within United Torah Judaism and growing frustration with Chareidi political leadership.

The developments were analyzed on Kikar HaShabbat’s “Thursday Night Studio,” hosted by Yishai Cohen. The panel included Kikar HaShabbat editor Chanani Breitkopf, Channel 16 political correspondent Shlomi Gil, former Elad Mayor Tzuriel Krispel and commentator Avi Greenzeig, who examined the political maneuvering that dominated the week and its potential implications for the Chareidi parties.

The discussion also focused on the growing controversy surrounding Chareidi participation in the Likud primaries and the political battle involving Motty Babchik and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Dramatic Letter and Shas Leadership

The panel began with Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri’s highly significant visit to the home of the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchak Yosef.

During the meeting, Deri presented Rav Yosef with a personal letter from Rav Moshe Maya, the senior member of the Shas Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, who appointed Deri as his special emissary for the mission.

In his letter, Rav Maya stressed that Shas has remained committed to preserving the legacy and path established by Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l and would continue doing so in the future.

Against that backdrop, Rav Maya asked Rav Yitzchak Yosef to assume responsibility for guiding and leading the implementation of his father’s legacy within Shas and throughout the movement’s institutions. The request was based on Rav Yosef’s position as the continuation of his father’s path, after Rav Ovadia himself designated him for that role before his passing.

Panelists examined the considerable political and internal Shas ramifications of the move and what the development could mean for the future rabbinic leadership of the party.

UTJ Split Threat Grows as Chareidi Frustration Mounts

The discussion then shifted to the increasingly serious possibility that Degel HaTorah could break away from Agudas Yisroel ahead of the upcoming elections and run independently rather than as part of the longstanding United Torah Judaism alliance.

The panel considered whether the Gedolei Yisroel would ultimately authorize such a dramatic step, particularly given the electoral risks involved.

A separate Degel HaTorah campaign could potentially leave Agudas Yisroel struggling to cross the electoral threshold, a development that could have far-reaching consequences for Chareidi representation and significantly reshape Israel’s political map.

The commentators also addressed another issue increasingly evident within the Chareidi community: widespread disappointment with its political representatives and their performance during the outgoing Knesset term.

That frustration has fueled discussion surrounding potential alternative parties, including “HaTzibur HaChareidi,” headed by Motty Leitner. The panel debated whether such new political movements genuinely represent dissatisfied Chareidi voters or whether their apparent support is being overstated.

Chareidi Likud Primary Controversy and Babchik’s Battle

The final portion of the program focused on the wave of Chareidi Likud members who participated in the party’s primaries, an issue that generated widespread headlines and claims that “the Chareidim are taking over the Likud.”

Panelists sought to separate the headlines from the actual numbers, examining how many Chareidim had genuinely registered as Likud members and how many ultimately turned out to cast ballots in the primary.

The discussion then turned to the political figure at the center of much of the controversy: Motty Babchik.

The commentators analyzed whether Babchik had actually accomplished his political objective through the primary effort and, more significantly, whether the results amounted to a victory for him in his increasingly tense power struggle with Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu.

{Matzav.com}

The operator of a speedboat that capsized during a tour of New York Harbor, killing a 5-month-old baby and her mother, has been taken into custody by federal immigration authorities, who say he was living in the United States illegally.

Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana, who is already facing federal criminal charges stemming from the Aug. 8 disaster, allegedly lied to a border official when he entered the United States through Texas in 2007, falsely telling the officer that he was an American citizen, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Hernandez-Umana, 46, is a citizen of El Salvador and is now being detained at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, federal records show. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Hernandez-Umana is expected to ultimately be deported from the United States.

Federal immigration agents took Hernandez-Umana into custody after he was released on bail in the separate criminal prosecution over the capsizing. He has been charged with causing the deaths of 5-month-old Antonella Garcia and her 27-year-old mother, Sara Sanchez, through misconduct or neglect.

Prosecutors allege that Hernandez-Umana did not have the required U.S. Coast Guard license to operate the excursion and lacked knowledge of fundamental boating safety requirements. He also allegedly told investigators that the vessel used for the trip was a friend’s personal boat that he had borrowed. Authorities say the excursion was an illegal charter and that the vessel was carrying too many passengers.

“Once he faces justice for his crimes, we will make sure that he is swiftly removed from our country,” Mullin said in a statement.

Hernandez-Umana’s attorney, Amy Gallicchio, declined to comment on the latest developments.

Hernandez-Umana had been residing in Manville, New Jersey, before the deadly incident. He was not asked to enter a plea when he made his first appearance in the criminal case on Aug. 10. He appeared emotional as he entered the courtroom, wiping his eyes while still dressed in the T-shirt, swim trunks and water shoes he had been wearing during the ill-fated boat trip. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 9.

Coast Guard investigators say Hernandez-Umana was operating a 21-foot Yamaha AR210 carrying 14 people when the vessel took on water and sank while attempting a U-turn amid rough conditions. The boat was rated to carry no more than 10 people. The excursion began at approximately 7 p.m., and the boat capsized more than three hours later.

Authorities said the 5-month-old infant was not wearing a life jacket because the vessel did not have a properly sized flotation device for a small child. Prosecutors allege that Hernandez-Umana instead instructed Sanchez to put on a life vest herself and hold her baby for the duration of the lengthy excursion, which they said violated federal safety regulations.

The excursion had been arranged through Zeus Luxury Rental Inc., a company that promotes its rental services through social media, including Instagram and TikTok. The company had previously been connected to another boating emergency when one of its chartered vessels caught fire during a birthday cruise on Long Island Sound last year.

According to the criminal complaint, Hernandez-Umana told investigators that he had been doing freelance or contract work for Zeus Luxury since last year. He said he initially worked for the business as a limousine driver before becoming involved in boating excursions.

Hernandez-Umana also told authorities that on two recent occasions he had operated his own vessel, a somewhat larger Yamaha AR250. On Aug. 8, however, he allegedly used a friend’s boat because his own vessel required repairs.

Requests for comment were sent to the telephone number and email address listed on Zeus Luxury’s website. An automated message indicated that the voicemail associated with the phone number was full.

{Matzav.com}

Some of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s neighbors in Montecito are welcoming reports that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing to spend an extended period in the UK, with residents saying the high-profile couple brought unwanted media attention to their otherwise quiet California enclave.

“When we first heard Harry and Meghan were moving to Montecito, there were definitely some concerns,” one local resident told Page Six.

“There had already been so much negative press and attention surrounding them and the royal family, and I think people worried about what kind of spotlight that could bring to such a quiet community.”

Now, with Harry and Meghan reportedly preparing to return to Britain with their two children, the resident said they “couldn’t be more thrilled.”

“Montecito is a very private, peaceful place, and I think a lot of people here will be happy to see things go back to being a little quieter,” the source continued.

The resident cautioned that the sentiment did not necessarily represent everyone in Montecito, saying they could speak only for themselves and other neighbors with whom they had discussed the matter.

Montecito is hardly unfamiliar with celebrities. Still, the source said Harry and Meghan attracted a level of media scrutiny that was unusual even for the affluent Santa Barbara County community.

Another neighbor was considerably more succinct when asked about the Sussexes’ impending departure, stating, “Good riddance!”

Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, are reportedly planning to travel to the UK at the end of August with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, for an “extended period.”

Despite the planned move, sources said Thursday that the Sussexes currently intend to retain their $14.5 million Montecito mansion while dramatically increasing the amount of time they spend in Britain.

There are conflicting indications, however, about the long-term fate of the California property. A source in Santa Barbara’s luxury real estate industry said there “have been rumblings” that Harry and Meghan could ultimately put the estate on the market, adding that “every broker wants that listing.”

The couple has lived in Montecito since 2020, settling in the exclusive community after stepping away from their roles as “senior” members of the royal family and moving to the United States.

Harry and Meghan purchased their sprawling property that same year and have since raised Archie and Lilibet there.

The massive estate includes nine bedrooms and 16 bathrooms, along with extensive grounds featuring a tennis court, rose garden, tea house and a playhouse for the children.

The Sussexes’ planned return to Britain comes six years after their dramatic exit from royal duties and relocation to America, a highly publicized split that became known as “Megxit.”

King Charles III is reportedly one of the major factors behind Harry and Meghan’s decision to spend substantially more time in the UK.

“I know that Charles is a big reason for their return,” a royal insider told Page Six.

Harry, Meghan and their children reunited with the 77-year-old King at Highgrove House in July, the first time Charles had seen Archie and Lilibet in four years.

Charles, who is battling cancer, is reportedly delighted by the prospect of having his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren living closer to him.

Harry and Meghan are also said to want Archie and Lilibet to establish stronger bonds with relatives and friends in Britain. According to a source, the children are expected to attend school in the UK while the family is there.

“They have so many friends and family in the UK whom they remain so close to,” another source told Page Six.

Despite returning to Britain for an extended stay, Harry and Meghan are expected to remain “non-working members” of the royal family rather than resume official royal duties.

The couple also reportedly intends to continue pursuing its various private business projects and commercial ventures while living in the UK.