The first attempt to refloat a 17,000-tonne drilling platform that was blown ashore during a storm off the Western Isles of Scotland could start on Tuesday.
The Transocean Winner, which has 280 tonnes of diesel onboard, ran aground on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis early on Monday morning as it was being towed from Norway to Malta. No one was onboard when the rig’s tow line snapped in heavy seas.
The beach at Dalmore, near Carloway, where the rig is ashore has been closed for safety reasons. A known beauty spot, Dalmore is highly regarded among surfers.
Salvage experts and coastguard officials will meet the UK government’s maritime salvage representative, Hugh Shaw, at the site on Tuesday morning, to agree on a plan to refloat the 93-metre-long vessel.
There is not thought to be any damage to the vessel or an immediate risk of the fuel leaking, but pollution specialists with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are monitoring surrounding seas.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into the incident, which has reignited the long-running row over the UK government’s decision in 2012 to withdraw emergency tug cover from the west coast.
The only emergency tug available for the north and west of Scotland, the MCA’s vessel Herakles, has been sent to the scene from Orkney.
Alasdair Allan, the local Scottish National party MSP and a Scottish government minister, said he was grateful no one had been hurt but added: “It does leave us with a significant environmental threat to deal with.
“I am also deeply concerned to hear that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s nearest emergency towing vessel was in the region of 14 hours away.”
