Now declared a total loss. Sad but absolutely no surprise to those of us who knew the story locally. Seems to have been a mixture of bad weather and blunders.
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/Riverdance-will-never-sail-again.3904317.jpSHE will never sail again.
Stricken sea ferry Riverdance – now sinking into the sand off Blackpool beach – was today declared "a constructive loss".
The storms of the last fortnight have battered the ship to a point where she is now beyond repair.
The 6,000-ton ship is now virtually under water at high tide.
Riverdance has been gradually sinking into the sand in the last seven weeks.
Freak waves forced her aground at Anchorsholme at the end of January.
Salvage teams still plan to attempt to refloat the ship, but are now considering using mechanical winch devices to do that rather than complex buoyancy techniques.
If that fails Riverdance will have to be cut up on the beach.
Tony Redding from owners Seatruck Ferries Ltd, said: "She is a constructive loss and will never return to service.
"She suffered very significant damage during the last bout of bad weather.
"The intention is still to remove her in one piece and new proposals are being prepared about the salvage operation.
"By the end of next week the situation should be clarified as to what is going to happen next."
Mr Redding's declaration the ship will never return to service echoed comments from a leading local nautical expert.
John Matthews, the head of Fleetwood Nautical Campus, said the only voyage the boat would now be making is to the scrapyard.
He said: "If you tried to open the cargo door it would not open and if you turned the propeller it would be wobbling because it would not be in line – it's only scrap."
Mr Matthews also said continued efforts to refloat the vessel and get her off the beach in one piece were the best option financially for the owners.
"It's cheaper if you can take it all in one piece," he said.
"If you cut it up on the beach it would be such a difficult job because there is 6,000 tons of metal.
"If you had to cut it up imagine all the lorries going through Cleveleys."
Staff at the nautical campus were at the sharp end when the Riverdance hit the sands on January 31.
Two lecturers were members of the Fleetwood lifeboat crew who went to her aid, and Mr Matthews was the deputy launch authority for the local RNLI who gave the green light for lifeboat to be launched.
Mr Matthews said: "We have taken our students to see the Riverdance.
"It's sad to see a ship like that lying there and knowing she will be chopped up."
Thousands of sightseers were again expected to visit the site this weekend.
Riverdance has become a major tourist attraction since she ran aground on January 31 after being "broadsided" by a freak wave while sailing from Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland to Heysham.
Twenty-three passengers and crew were airlifted to safety
Author
Topic: Irish Sea Ro - Ro Ferry runs aground off Blackpool (Read 17278 times)