Fears of major oil leak as cargo ship runs aground
EMERGENCY workers were last night desperately trying to pump fuel from a stricken cargo ship which ran aground in gale force winds.
Seven crew men were winched to safety in a dramatic rescue operation after their vessel, which had 40,000 litres of fuel on board, struck rocks near Colwyn Bay and was pounded by 17ft high waves.
Yesterday around 10,000 litres of marine gas oil had already leaked from the vessel, named Carrier, and officers from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency were working to avert an environmental disaster.
The surrounding coast is a conservation zone, home to many protected species of birds and fish.
Salvage and counter-pollution experts were assessing what damage had been caused to the 270ftlong ship, which appeared to have three holes in its starboard side
The drama began shortly after pm on Tuesday when coastguards received a distress call. Lifeboats from nearby Rhyl and Llandudno were launched but gale force winds and 17ft waves meant they were unable to get alongside the cargo ship. Instead a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter was scrambled from HMS Gannet, in Prestwick, Ayrshire.
Despite rough seas sending spray as high as 60ft, rescuers managed to winch four of the crew to safety. But the helicopter’s winch equipment was damaged, leaving the winchman and three further crew stranded on board.
It was not until another helicopter, from RAF Leconfield in East Yorkshire, arrived that all were eventually rescued unharmed at around 1am.
The men were taken to North Wales police headquarters where they were given hot drinks, a change of clothes and taken to a hotel for the night.