Work continues across the clock to take away a big bulk service from the shores of Mauritius after it ran aground final month following an incident involving a member of the ship’s crew.

An replace Monday from salvage firm Five Oceans Salvage mentioned the Liberian-flagged MV Benita stays laborious aground however in steady situation off Mahebourg, Mauritius as crews discover choices to refloat the vessel, together with one which entails the usage of explosives. Despite quite a lot of its tanks flooded, the deck and aspect plates of the vessel don’t seem to point out indicators of stress.

Priority in the intervening time continues to be the elimination of all gas oil on board through helicopter, which Five Oceans Salvage stories is making good progress. So far over 150 specialised storage containers containing contaminated gas and oil have been moved to shore, nevertheless a “substantial quantity” of gas oil stays within the Benita’s two double backside tanks, Five Oceans says.

The tug Ionian Sea FOS continues to have a line linked to the Benita’s stern and is sustaining fixed stress across the clock to stop the vessel from shifting place within the climate and waves. A second tug, the Coral Sea FOS, arrived on scene over the weekend and likewise linked to the strict Monday morning. 

No additional oil residue or air pollution has been noticed across the vessel, though anti-pollution booms stay in place alongside the encompassing shoreline as a precaution.

The second part of the salvage entails preparation for the ship’s refloating. Five Oceans stories {that a} salvage workforce has managed to restart one of many vessels auxiliary engines thus restoring auxiliary energy on board the vessel, together with the usage of the vessel’s cranes and windlasses.

A workforce of 25 welders, fitters and assistants working onboard are making progress getting ready the double backside tanks and cargo holds for pressurization for the refloating try.

Unfortunatley, Five Oceans has confirmed {that a} diving supervisor suffered a spinal harm final week when he fell from a top inside maintain quantity 3. The sufferer was given first assist on scene and later transferred by helicopter to a close-by hospital in Port Louis. The sufferer is predicted to make a full restoration.

Working on scene is a workforce of 45 salvage personnel and subcontractors stationed on board the vessel, plus three senior personnel coordinating from ashore.

Interestingly, Five Oceans has additionally mobilized a demolitions skilled from the United States to discover the potential of utilizing explosives to clear rocks from beneath the vessel with a view to free it.

The MV Benita ran aground June 17 after one in every of its crew members supposedly suffered a medical episode that led him to assault a fellow crew member and lock himself contained in the engine room the place he brought about vital injury, ensuing within the ship dropping energy and working aground. 

The MV Benita was not carrying any cargo on the time of the incident.