Grounded Oil Tanker Finally Salvaged

Oil tanker, Pratibha Cauvery, was finally pulled out to sea on Sunday after being stranded off Marina Beach for eleven days after running aground when Cyclone Nilam hit the Tamil Nadu coast on October 31st.

The union shipping minister, who had been monitoring the recovery operation, stated that the vessel was towed out early that evening. After several unsuccessful attempts to tow the ship out to sea, tug Malayiya succeeded in turning the ship 90 degrees from its right side.

The vessel first ran aground off Elliot’s Beach and later drifted towards the northern coast of Chennai near Marina Beach. Six crewmembers drowned after the ship lost anchor during the storm. A lifeboat carrying 22 men capsized when they attempted to escape the struggling ship to get to shore.

The owner of the vessel said divers would soon take photographs to assess damage to the keel and propellers. After its safety inspection, the vessel will be taken to a berth at Chennai port or to a shipyard in Kattupalli port.

The marine salvage operation was one of the largest in the waters off Chennai. The weight of the ship and strong currents made the salvage challenging.

At the moment, the ship is awaiting safety clearances and should be taken to a shipyard for maintenance immediately because it is still carrying fuel. The vessel has lost both anchors.

The directorate- general is in contact with maritime agencies and the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board in order to ensure that the ship is given a berth soon.

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