Mumbai:
Attempts to tow the 9000-ton cargo ship that's stuck near Mumbai's Juhu Beach were abandoned today after a cable meant to link the ship to a tug-boat snapped.
Salvage operations began early this morning with naval helicopters dropping cables and other equipment to the MV Wisdom, which is to be towed to the Alang shipyard in Gujarat for dismantling.
A crew on board the Wisdowm was hoping that the high tide this afternoon would make the massive ship float, which could make the attempt to tow it away considerably easier. That didn't pan out - as experts had warned it would not. They say that moving a ship of this size presents an extremely complex challenge. The chances of the hull of the Wisdom being damaged are high, they warn. If that happens, the ship could start sinking - precariously close to the Mumbai coastline.
Satish Agnihotri, Director General of Shipping, who is supervising operations, said for now, that doesn't seem likely. He also said that because there is no oil or cargo on the Wisdom, it does not currently pose environmental risks. However, he did state that if the Wisdom is not towed away during tomorrow's high tide, the operation may have to be suspended for a fortnight - till the next high tide. (
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The Wisdom was on its way from Colombo to Alang when its engine failed. Then, the cable to its tow-boat collapsed. The massive ship drifted dangerously close to the Bandra-Worli Sea link and then ran aground at Juhu Beach on Saturday.