A 7,000 tonne cargo vessel was stranded this morning on Cashla Bay, Connemara, County Galway after heavy winds during the night drove her ashore. The vessel has been named as the MV Pantanal and local press say she is Canadian registered and German owned but the details given, and the fact she was due to load two sizeable ferries aboard later today, indicate she may be the vessel of that name flagged in Antigua and operated by Danish heavy lift and project cargo specialists Combi Lift.
The vessels situation is being monitored by Shannon coastguard who have despatched a helicopter to the scene after the ship grounded at 05:00 hours this morning; the fourteen strong crew are believed to be still aboard hoping that the tide will refloat her as the wind recedes.
The Pantanal was due to collect two smaller passenger ferries from the nearby harbour at Rossaveal both of which had recently been purchased at a repossession sale in Galway. |
