Latest Mackay Seaport News

New attempt to salvage luxury motor cruiser

Another attempt will be made next week to salvage a $1.8 million luxury motor cruiser that ploughed onto rocks at Mackay Harbour on May 4.

 

At this stage the salvage bid will be made on Tuesday, May 15 - weather permitting. The vessel, Eropaks, is owned by Mackay developer John Cowley and builder Keith Rebetzke and is currently lying in six metres of water inside the harbour at the North Wall.

Police believe the grounding was caused by mechanical or electronic failure.

The vessel Eropaks had just been returned to the water that afternoon after work in a local shipyard. Early reports indicate that the electronic controls on the boat may have failed as the boat was about to enter Mackay Harbour on Friday afternoon.

Mackay Port Authority operations manager John Kraft explained what happened after the boat hit the rocks.

"One of the duty port officers rang me and told me that a vessel had gone aground. We put our normal marine incident plan into place. We contacted Vessel Traffic Services and the Harbour Master," he said.

"Cranes were brought in to support the stern of the vessel and the rescue team did what they could to stabilize the vessel."

The insurance assessor, Maritime Safety Queensland and the MPA had a difficult decision to make. The assessor knew that if they brought in larger cranes and other equipment they may be able to lift the boat off the sea wall.

But there were other considerations weighing on his mind. With the flood tide and 20 knot winds on their way, there was a good chance that the large boat would break apart if it remained on the rocks. This could cause substantial environmental damage through spilled oil, diesel and debris. There was also a risk that the boat could become a navigation hazard to other ships.

"We collectively decided it was a safer and better option to bring it around the corner and let it settle on the bottom instead of smashing to pieces," Mr Kraft said.

"A tug was used to tow it around the corner, inside the harbour, where a decision was made to let it sink."

The boat is now resting on the harbour floor, safely out of the way of other shipping