Salvage hopes sink with tide (From Bournemouth Echo)

Salvage hopes sink with tide

1:00am Thursday 19th November 2009 in

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A salvage operation to raise a wreck from the waters of Poole Quay will resume today.

The Channel Chieftain IV was half lifted out of the water yesterday at the 5pm low tide, after it suddenly sunk on Monday.

But part of the craft’s hull was torn in the attempt and rising tides defeated attempts to pump out the water and re-float the vessel.

Harbour Master Brian Murphy said efforts to raise the 60-foot former fishing boat would start again at about 4am today.

“We tried to raise it at low water. But the tide had turned and the pumps just weren’t coping with the water coming in,” said Mr Murphy.

The vessel has been lowered back down and the front lifting strop repositioned for today’s attempt.

“Low water is at 5am. The cranes will be adjusted so they are another metre closer.

“We will also have more pumps,” said Mr Murphy.

Crowds gathered throughout yesterday behind a police cordon to watch the recovery unfold.

Officers closed the Quay at its junction with West Street to allow two giant cranes to be put in position.

Local firm Jenkins Marine positioned a recovery barge with smaller cranes on the opposing side of the partially submerged wreck.

A four-man diving team attached strops to the sunken boat, before a gradual “tandem” lift began to raise the wreck.

The boat was bought in April in Weymouth by Lithuanian sailors who paid £23,000 for the former tuna-fishing vessel.

But soon after leaving Weymouth, the boat hit difficulties and limped into Poole Harbour under the auspices of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Its crew returned to Lithuania to raise funds for the repair, leaving only chief engineer, Aleksandr Vlasov, on board. He is thought to be being helped by local charities.