Authorities act after 13.7m vessel sinks in Calliope River at Gladstone
Authorities and salvors have hit a major snag in their bid to recover a 13.7m boat which sank to the bottom of a popular Central Queensland river.
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The salvage of a 13.7m boat which sank to the bottom of a Central Queensland river has hit a major snag.
On Wednesday, January 24, the full-cabin recreational vessel remained stricken in the Calliope River at Gladstone, more than three weeks after it went down.
On high tides the boat, which is on the western side of the Calliope River Bridge, is completely submerged but it becomes more visible as the tide drops.
On Wednesday, Maritime Safety Queensland general manager Kell Dillon said the vessel was mainly made of timber and it sank on or about January 1.
Mr Dillon said MSQ deployed absorbent boom around the boat on January 3 to contain a “small spill” of diesel from it.
“No further pollutants have been observed,” Mr Dillon said.
Mr Dillon said MSQ contacted the vessel’s owner in relation to its salvage and on January 8, the authority issued a Harbour Master’s Direction for the owner to remove it from Queensland waters by 4pm on January 22.
“The owner engaged a salvor but multiple attempts by that salvor to refloat the vessel were unsuccessful,” Mr Dillon said.
“MSQ is in ongoing discussions with the owner about further options to effect salvage.
“Salvage plans and operations will be rigorously assessed and monitored by MSQ to ensure that pollution risks to the marine environment are mitigated.”
Mr Dillon said MSQ was investigating what caused the vessel to sink.
It is not the first vessel to come to grief in this section of the Calliope River in recent times.
Mid last year, a sailing boat sank on the seaward side of the Calliope River Bridge, not far from where this latest incident occurred.
That boat was removed from the river after MSQ became involved.
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Originally published as Authorities act after 13.7m vessel sinks in Calliope River at Gladstone
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