ATLANTIC OSPREY

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Latest news

Grounded fishing vessel broke up

The "Atlantic Osprey" which grounded off Balbriggan, Dublin, on Jan 30, has broken up and a salvage team has moved in to remove as much of the debris as possible before it is washed ashore. The ship was holed after drifting on to rocks just south of Balbriggan harbour at about 5 a.m. and sank about three hours later. The salvage team, working on behalf of the owners and insurers, was planning an operation on Feb 2 to remove what’s left of the vessel. The team has also committed to a clean-up along the coast to remove any debris that has already been washed ashore. A light film of diesel oil which was spotted in the water on Monday appears to have been largely broken up by the overnight storm and evaporation. Report with photo: http://www.balbriggan.info/updated-statement-2-sinking-fishing-vessel-atlantic-osprey/ The Irish Coast Guard has predicted that what’s left will remain at sea over the next 18 hours. The Fingal County Council’s Oil Pollution Response Team, which was made up of staff from the Operations, Environment and Corporate Affairs Departments, continued to closely monitor the situation along with the Irish Coast Guard. Oil pollution response equipment has been moved to a staging area adjacent to Balbriggan harbour and was ready to be immediately deployed if required.

Trawler grounded and sank - crew rescued

The five crew members of the "Atlantic Osprey" had to be rescued after it ran aground off Balbriggan in north Dublin on Jan 30, 2017, at 5.15 a.m. The vessel It had been fishing for razor clams when it lost power and was left drifting in the stiff breeze, finally becoming lodged on a sandbank. The alarm was raised at 5.20 a.m., and the Dublin Coastguard coordinated the rescue. The Dublin based Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116, RNLI units from Skerries, Howth and Clogherhead and Skerries Coast Guard units participated in the operation. Weather conditions at the time were described as overcast with a south easterly Force 3-4 wind blowing. First on scene, Skerries RNLI set up a tow line but attempts to take the vessel off the ground failed. The lifeboat crew proceeded to take the fishermen off their vessel and transferred them onto the lifeboat. On arrival of the all-weather lifeboat from Howth, the fishermen were then safely transferred by the crew on to it. In a bid to salvage the fishing vessel, two pumps from Clogherhead and Howth lifeboats were put onboard along with a third from the helicopter. However, despite the crews’ efforts, the pumps couldn’t overcome the water ingress and the ship sank shortly after 8 a.m., remaining half submerged on the sandbank. The fishermen were brought safely to shore in Skerries by Howth’s lifeboat where they arrived at 8.25 a.m. The Fingal County Council was monitoring an area south of Balbriggan harbour for signs of pollution follow the sinking. The ship has been carrying approximately 400 litres of diesel and 30 litres of lube oil. Staff members from the Council’s Operations and Environmental Departments were ready to activate Fingal County Council’s Oil Pollution Response Plan if required. Reports, photos and video: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2017/january/30/three-rnli-crews-involved-in-rescue-of-five-fishermen-from-grounded-trawler http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/lucky-escape-for-five-crew-rescued-from-trawler-before-it-sank-off-irish-coast-35408064.html https://www.facebook.com/howthrnli/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE&fref=nf https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16388098_1844794762466547_3423301836068005442_n.jpg?oh=299be87b306bc4b8fe496c0b64558fcc&oe=59088CF0 https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16298613_1844791999133490_5062163021357808969_n.jpg?oh=3931ba1b8f3171c2263ae67b771d8759&oe=590BEE51