The boring gear that ran grounded in poor weather condition on the Isle of Lewis a little over 2 weeks earlier has actually been efficiently refloated and also stablized and also is currently under tow to a risk-free harbor, the UK Maritime and also Coastguard Agency stated Tuesday.

The gear, Transocean Winner, was refloated from Dalmore Bay on the west coastline of Lewis at 10pm Monday evening with the assistance of yanks and also a high. It is currently under tow by assistance vessels make concerning 1-1.5 knots per hr to Broad Bay, situated on the island’s eastern coastline, some 40 miles away.

Earlier today, the coastguard carried out an overflight of Dalmore Bay to take a look at the water for any type of indicator of discharge, luster or air pollution from the gear. There was no air pollution reported in the location.

A small luster was spotted complying with the course of the gear, which the coastguard claims is connected with the recurring pressurization of containers to keep the gear’s security. Support watercrafts from aquatic ecological service provider Briggs Marine is going along with the tow and also are separating the light luster. Additional counter air pollution devices gets on board the vessels ought to it be called for.

The Temporary Exclusion Zone continues to be in position at Dalmore Bay till the seabed has actually been completely looked for any type of particles or ecological effect.

A Temporary Exclusion Zone of 1,000 meters has actually additionally been developed in Broad Bay by the coastguard.

“We are taking advantage of the favorable weather conditions following this big step forward, and we will continue to closely monitor the rig whilst it is under tow,” commented Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State’s Representative (SOSREP) for Maritime Salvage & &Intervention “By all accounts the rig appears to be in a stable condition, and is now due to reach Broad Bay tomorrow morning. Once everything is declared safe, I will be looking at releasing the exclusion zone in Dalmore Bay.”

The refloating of the vessel Monday evening followed almost 2 weeks of preparing the gear for the procedure.

The Transocean Winner ran grounded August 8 after damaging without a tow in hefty weather condition. The gear was lugging some 280 statistics lots of gasoline when the event took place, and also authorities are attempting to identify just how much might have splashed from 2 breached gas containers. So much there have actually been no significant records of air pollution.

“I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the Western Isles Council and community for their patience and their gracious hospitality during this challenging and disruptive period. This salvage operation has required the united cooperation from so many different organizations who have spared no effort to ensure that this rig reaches safer waters. I would like to specifically mention Salvage Master, Sylvia Tervoort and the SMIT Salvage team, Transocean, Briggs Environmental, Western Isles Council and local community, Scottish Environment Group and other supporting government departments, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, the emergency services – not to mention all the other supporting organizations, stakeholders and businesses who’ve assisted in this operation.”

The 30-year-old semi-submersible was en path from Norway to Malta when the event took place. It was supposedly predestined for Turkey where it was intended to be ditched.