Displaying items by tag: Ghost Ship: Alta
Ghost Ship’s Report Remains Not Ready Three Years after MV Alta Is Washed Ashore in East Cork
A ghost ship which washed ashore in Irish waters three years ago, which led to a report as to what to do with the abandoned 80m freight vessel on the east Cork coast, has still not been completed.
In the autumn of 2018, the vessel had engine trouble when approximately 2,000km off Bermuda and was abandoned. The ship's 10 crew were rescued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG).
The ship remained adrift unti during Storm Dennis it grounded near Ballycotton in east Cork. This would led to local authorities removing oil to prevent pollution from the ship which has subsequently broken up due to the elements.
In June of last year, a working group was established on the recommendation of the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB). This was to examine "the risks and potential costs to the State presented by derelict ships" upon entering Irish territorial waters and coming ashore.
The working group according to the Department of Transport, which includes the Irish Coast Guard, the Naval Service, Irish Lights, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and others, has concluded deliberations.
The group, however have yet to carry out one more round of stakeholder engagements before any of its findings can be presented.
Since the ship became a wreck, this has drawn public attention and as a tourist attraction but also has seen anti-social behaviour take place locally.
More from The Irish Examiner on the vessel's multi-million bill to the state and how the ship when adrift had a 'near miss' with an oil tanker before finally grounding east of Cork Harbour.
Maritime salvage experts internationally say it could cost upwards of €10m to salvage the (cargoship) MV Alta.
The 'ghost ship' washed ashore off the Cork coast earlier this year.
The Receiver of Wreck said it was still trying to establish ownership as fears grow locally that she will be left to rust on the coastline.
Storm Dennis ravaged the country in February and in its wake the MV Alta washed ashore.
Abandoned 16 months earlier by her crew near Bermuda, the 44-year-old merchant ship had been adrift in the Atlantic, before the it washed up near Ballycotton.
In the days that followed, Cork County Council removed any environmental risk and since then the Receiver of Wreck has been trying to establish ownership and in turn whose is responsible for the ship.
More on this story from RTE News here.
