The MV Sea Breeze was rescued after she nearly sank off the coast of the Lizard
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- Category: Accidentes
- Published on Friday, 02 May 2014 22:51
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A UKRANIAN cargo ship is laid up in the River Fal at a cost of £340 per week to the public purse – and she is likely to be there until the end of the summer and then scrapped.
The MV Sea Breeze was rescued after she nearly sank off the coast of the Lizard in March and towed to St Austell Bay – the cost of the whole operation has so far been estimated at £200,000 to the tax payer.
Now, as the 87-metre vessel sits in the Fal near Trelissick Gardens, the British tax payer looks likely to foot the bill while maritime lawyers chase the payments from the ship’s Ukraine-based owner KDM Shipping.
Truro harbourmaster captain Mark Killingback said the cargo vessel is likely to remain in the Fal for “a few months,” after which is it likely she will be scrapped.
“We are just looking after her at the moment while the lengthy issues are resolved,” he said.
“It's a matter for maritime lawyers to resolve any claims against the vessel.
“I think it is likely, given the damage to the engine room which was flooded, that it will not be cost-effective to recover it.”
He added that some of the mounting costs of the lengthy operation could be recovered if she is scrapped.
The Sea Breeze was taking limestone from Liverpool to Shoreham, West Sussex, when she got into trouble on March 9.
The six-man crew of the stricken cargo ship were winched to safety after its engine room flooded.
RNLI lifeboats, coastguards and a Navy search and rescue helicopter were all deployed to save the stricken boat and its crew.
The ship was towed to St Austell Bay for repairs, and then the Port of Fowey was directed by the UK Government's marine casualty authority to take her in before she was moved to the Fal, a deep water area for mooring large ships.