Salvaging crew all at sea about how to refloat stuck ship

AFTER another series of unsuccessful attempts to tow the Kiani Satu, pictured, out to sea after it ran aground off Buffelsbaai last week, the salvaging crew has started preparations to fly more than 300 tons of oil off the vessel.

The team has made five attempts to refloat the 168m rice carrier since Tuesday, but only managed to swing the boat around 55º, with its bow now facing seawards.

Insufficient swell, needed to provide lift during the tug process, has hampered efforts every time.

“We will try at every high tide. We are expecting swell to start building, but by the weekend the swell could become too big to continue efforts. There have been reports of about a 6m (swell) coming through on Saturday,” said Captain Nigel Campbell from the SA Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa).

In the meantime the salvaging crew has been working tirelessly to pump oil out of one of the ship’s damaged tanks and into a secure tank on board to limit pollution.

More than 15 tons of oil and fuel have already leaked into the sea. Clean-up of some sections of the Goukamma River has also commenced, but major clean-up will only happen once the ship has been removed.

So far 25 oiled penguins, which have come ashore from Cape St Francis to Victoria Bay, have been rescued, cleaned and sent for rehabilitation.

Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism Alan Winde arrived at Buffelsbaai yesterday to assess the damage.

“It’s about 75 percent less than it was two days ago and the good news is that the oil leak has stopped,” said Winde.

Yesterday Parliament's portfolio committee on agriculture, forestry and fisheries discussed imposing harsh penalties on ships that polluted the country’s coastline.