Bid to refloat stricken ship
2005-06-09 08:44
East London - A salvage tug would on Thursday try to refloat the bulk-carrier Kiperousa after it had run aground off the Eastern Cape coast, the National Ports Authority (NPA) said.
"A salvage tug has arrived and will try and pull her off today (Thursday)," NPA spokesperson Terry Taylor said.
Because some oil had spilled from the Malta-registered vessel, contingency plans were in place to protect the coastline and estuaries from a possible oil spill, Taylor said.
This was also given the fact that onshore winds were expected on Thursday. The vessel was carrying about 300 tons of fuel oil and diesel.
A rescue operation was launched on Tuesday after a mayday signal was put out by the vessel, which had apparently struck an object about two nautical miles offshore, south of Hamburg. The carrier was sailing from Gabon to Durban.
The salvage vessel would presumably pump fuel off the ship to make it as light as possible and attempt to pull the vessel out to sea where repairs could be done.
- SAPA