Salvage Continues for Wrecked Cargo Ship in Mauritius
Salvors of the wrecked MV Benita in Mahebourg, Mauritius have reported progress with the salvage and environmental safety operation after the ship ran aground per week in the past after an incident involving one of the ship’s crew members.
Five Oceans Salvage reported Friday that the operation to take away the remaining gas oil from the vessel’s tanks continues to be a precedence, with 80 of the 145 tonnes on board having been pumped into specialised one tonne containers for switch to shore. At time of replace 53 of the containers been transported to shore by way of helicopter.
Five Oceans additionally reported no additional oil sheens have been noticed, nonetheless booms and different antipollution measures stay in place as a precaution.
The vessel was in ballast on the time of the grounding which implies that there are not any concerns wanted for cargo removing.
Meanwhile salvage divers have carried out a lot of dive inspections as a way to additional assess the extent of the injury. As beforehand reported, a lot of tanks have taken on water, however the ship itself continues to be steady and stays firmly aground.
Planning for the eventual re-floating and removing of the vessel additionally proceed along side the vessel’s house owners and the authorities.
The tug Ionian Sea FOS, based mostly in Mauritius, stays on web site so as present specialised salvage and antipollution tools, and a second tug, Coral Sea FOS, is en route and is scheduled to reach subsequent week.
The 44,000 DWT Bonita was not carrying any cargo when it ran aground final Friday night (June 17) after a crew member apparently attacked one other crew member earlier than locking himself within the engine room and inflicting injury to the tools and methods. The insurer of the vessel has blamed the incident on a severe medical episode suffered by the attacker, denying media claims of mutiny on board. The man has since been arrested by native police.