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Montevideo, March 29th 2024 - 00:24 UTC

 

 

Falklands registered trawler still stuck on rock.

Tuesday, May 6th 2003 - 21:00 UTC
Full article

A second attempt to free the stricken Falklands registered fishing trawler 'Lyn' on the Island of South Georgia has failed.

All hopes now rest with the imminent arrival of tug 'Typhoon' which will try and free the vessel which is aground at the entrance to the Morainne Fjord.

After a considerable amount of fishing equipment was dumped overboard last Saturday, there were high hopes that the newly built vessel would be pulled clear by the Falklands fisheries patrol ship, 'Sigma'. However during the towing exercise. the line being used snapped and the mission had to be aborted.

An inspection of the 'Lyn' has revealed that the stern of the vessel is wedged tight by protruding rocks, which is preventing the freeing of the trawler.

At the moment the ships pumps are coping with the water which is leaking into the engine room, while there is also reported to be water in the holds.

A skeleton crew of 6 men remain on board, with the other 38 having been taken to King Edward Point, where a South Georgia Government official and British scientists are based.

The tug 'Typhoon' is expected to reach the location tomorrow Tuesday, but there is concern that further damage to the hull could be caused during a intended tow, owing to the previously undetected rocks at the stern.

If the 'Lyn', can be successfully freed then the remaining crew members are expected to re-board, and the vessel will head for Montevideo for dry-docking and a full hull inspection.

Meanwhile the 'Viking Bay' which also ran aground during near hurricane winds, but managed to free itself, has arrived in Stanley in the Falkland Islands. Divers are currently carrying out a detailed survey of the vessel.

A third trawler, the Korean 'Moresko 1' has been abandoned, after it too ran aground during the storm last Wednesday. The ship remains firmly wedged between rocks.

All 3 vessels, which were allocated licences by the South Georgia Government to catch Toothfish, were heading for King Edward Point to obtain clearance, and pick up their licences, when they were hit by the near hurricane winds.

Patrick Watts. (MP) Falkland Islands.

Categories: Falkland Islands.

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