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Fears for sinking Riverdance ferry
RIVERDANCE is sinking – and so today were hopes of saving her.
The stricken ferry has taken a terrible beating from massive waves whipped up by this week's 85mph hurricane-force winds.
She is now listing at 100 degrees and sinking into the soft sand on the beach at Anchorsholme.
Maritime experts have now abandoned their attempts to right the vessel and are frantically drawing-up alternative plans to get her off the beach.
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A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "The Riverdance was hit by 78-knot winds, and as a consequence sustained heavy damage resulting in a 100 degree list.
"She is partly sinking into the soft and shifting sand.
"Plans to reduce the list using internal buoyancy and tidal effects have now been abandoned.
"Salvors are assessing the situation and are in discussion with the owners and insurers."
Fears are that as Riverdance continues to be hit by the savage waves her structure could become more unstable.
Salvage crews have managed to take cargo and fuel off the ship.
But the continued damage caused by storms is a major concern.
New salvage plans will have to be submitted to Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP) early next week.
Mr Shaw said: "The owners of the ship have given their reassurance their objective of removing the vessel in an environmentally friendly and timely manner remains paramount.
"Contractors will continue to clear cargo or debris washed ashore from the vessel.
"As access to the main deck has now been breeched by the heavy seas it is likely that this work will increase over the next week."
Welding on board the Riverdance was completed at the beginning of the week and huge tanks had been attached to the port side in expectation of an attempt to refloat the ship.
Seatrucks, the company which owns ferry which ran aground in stormy seas on January 31, had hoped Dutch salvage firm Smit could right the ship at high tide last night.
However the weather put paid to the plans.
Freak
Tony Redding, from the shipping company, said: "She was hit very hard by the winds.
"We will now have to wait for the salvage experts to go on board and assess the situation.
"We don't know what the consequences of that will be."
Riverdance has attracted thousands of people to the coastline at Anchorsholme since she ran aground.
The ship was en route from Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland to Heysham when she was "broadsided" by a freak wave.
Twenty three passengers and crew were airlifted to safety.
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: West
