Rig removed from wreck site

Rig removed from wreck site

The jack-up rig has been towed away by tug to a berth in Newlyn

The jack-up rig situated next to a coaster which ran aground off the Cornish coast has been towed away.

The rig was positioned next to the wreck of RMS Mulheim, between Sennen Cove and Land's End, just over a week ago.

It was hoped it could be used to remove the vessel's cargo of shredded plastic using a grab before placing it on a barge.

However, poor weather conditions damaged the rig and it was decided to move it before further problems were caused.

The rig was refloated at 0800 BST on Wednesday and towed away by the tug Avon Braint to a berth in Newlyn.

The salvage operation to remove the cargo will now continue using a conveyor belt method.

We had to remove the rig because we could not risk the possibility of having another wreck on our hands

Donald McDonald, Maritime and Coastguard Agency

The cargo is removed from the hold and placed into jumbo-size bags, which are then hauled up the cliffs using a crane.

Donald McDonald, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's regional operations manager for counter pollution, said: "The conveyor method is a slow, but positive one.

"We will continue with this while the weather allows us.

"We will be able to operate for about five to six hours each day during low tide and hope to take about 10-15 tonnes of cargo off per day."

Mr McDonald said adverse swell and weather conditions had caused a delay of several days in removing the jack-up rig.

But he added: "We were able to make positive use of the rig, and using both the jack-up and conveyor methods, we were able to remove 37.5 tonnes on Tuesday and 25 tonnes the day before.

"It is unfortunate we were unable to continue using the rig.

"But we just could not risk the possibility of having another wreck on our hands should the rig have sustained further damage."