BBC NEWS Americas Africa Europe Middle East South Asia Asia Pacific Arabic Spanish Russian Chinese Welsh
BBCi CATEGORIES   TV   RADIO   COMMUNICATE   WHERE I LIVE   INDEX    SEARCH 

BBC NEWS
 You are in:  UK: England
Front Page 
World 
UK 
England 
Northern Ireland 
Scotland 
Wales 
UK Politics 
Business 
Sci/Tech 
Health 
Education 
Entertainment 
Talking Point 
In Depth 
AudioVideo 


Commonwealth Games 2002

BBC Sport

BBC Weather

SERVICES 
Monday, 11 February, 2002, 18:00 GMT
Sightseers hinder tanker salvage
Salvage helicopter
Jetskiers have distracted a salvage helicopter pilot
A sea exclusion zone has been put in place around the stranded tanker Kodima, on the Cornish coast, after sightseers caused safety worries.

Jetskis and other craft have been coming in close to the ship, grounded just outside Plymouth Sound at Whitsand Bay.

A Brixham coastguard spokesman said: "It has been distracting the pilot of the helicopter that has been trying to put people on board to prepare for the recovery of the vessel."

The new exclusion zone means no craft can go within 1,000 metres of the 6,000-ton ship, which was driven ashore in gales on 2 February.

Helicopter winchman
Landings are difficult on the steeply listing deck
A ban on aircraft flying below 3,000 feet within three miles of the Kodima has been in force for some days.

Last week a Royal Navy rescue helicopter had to airlift nine salvage workers to safety from the deck after winds of force six and seven blew up during a refloating attempt.

The Bristows Super Puma that landed them on the Kodima could not be used because of low cloud.

The Maltese-registered Kodima had been bound for Libya from Sweden when its Russian crew had to be rescued in gales.

Thousands of tonnes of pine planking from its holds have continued to wash ashore over the weekend.

A reclamation firm has said it could take some weeks to recover the planks, using special grabbing equipment.

The next attempt to refloat the ship is not expected to take place before the end of the week.




Click here to go to Devon
See also:

07 Feb 02 | England
Salvage team airlifted in storm
07 Feb 02 | England
Bad weather slows ship salvage
05 Feb 02 | England
Hazard warning over ship's cargo
04 Feb 02 | England
Timber galore for Cornish wreckers
04 Feb 02 | England
Weather delays tanker salvage plan
04 Feb 02 | UK
Salvage team will reinspect ship
Internet links:


The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Links to more England stories are at the foot of the page.


E-mail this story to a friend

Links to more England stories