Ship free after grounding on Tay

The vessel ran aground in the Tay estuary

A ship which ran aground above a gas pipeline on the River Tay has managed to float free.

The Celtica Hav, which is registered in the Bahamas, became stuck near Elcho Castle at about 0330 GMT.

Below it was a Shell pipeline transporting ethane, propane and butane liquids between Aberdeenshire and Fife.

The seven crew members on the boat, which was transporting wheat from Germany to Perth Harbour, were uninjured in the accident.

Shell said the pipeline was 2.75m under the river bed and encased in concrete.

The pipeline operation was unaffected and was not shutdown.

A spokeswoman for the local council said: "Perth and Kinross Council can confirm that a cargo ship, the Celtica Hav, ran aground on its way up the Tay to Perth early this morning.

"The vessel was en route to Perth Harbour from Germany with a cargo of wheat.

"Preliminary indications are that the grounding may have been caused by an unpredicted drop in the tide."

The ship is now berthed in Perth Harbour and will unload its cargo on Thursday.