Weather Delays Plans To Refloat Ship

18 March 2013, 17:40 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Bad weather means a cargo ship which ran aground off the Northumberland coast will stay put for at least a week.

The MV Danio was heading from Perth to Antwerp, Belgium, when it got caught on rocks near a lighthouse in the Farne Islands, three miles off the coast, at 4.30am on Saturday.

The vessel, carrying timber, was badly damaged and there were no reports of any fuel leak after she got stuck on the Blue Caps, close to the Longstone Lighthouse.

The flat-bottomed vessel is caught on a level area of reef and is stuck in a spot with limited manoeuvrability.

Hugh Shaw, a Government official who will oversee the rescue attempt, said plans to refloat her at high tide on Monday evening will not go ahead because of strong winds and high seas.

The Danio - whose crew of four Poles, a Russian and a Filipino will remain on board - was believed to be stable as her ballast tanks have been filled with sea water.

Mr Shaw said:
"It is most likely there will not be an attempt until Saturday at the earliest.''

Lower tides this week meant a refloat before then was not possible.

The Farne Islands are internationally known for the thousands of puffins that live there, as well as 6,000 grey seals and more than 20 bird species that breed there.