Divers and environmentalists have started a campaign to stop the salvage of a ship that sank off the Irish coast 20 years ago.
The Kowloon Bridge, a 274- metre vessel, sank on November 24th, 1986, off Toe Head near Bantry. The ship now rests on the seabed off west Cork and is a popular attraction for divers as it has become a man-made reef drawing aquatic life.
Local people have now claimed that the wreck's owner, British scrap dealer Shaun Kent, is planning to raise it. In recent years Mr Kent has declared that he wants to salvage the wreck and recycle its giant steel hull. The ship was carrying a cargo of iron ore, estimated to be worth millions of euro now.
The 54,000 tonne ship was travelling from Canada to Glasgow when, on November 24th, the Indian-born captain attempted to seek shelter in Bantry Bay.
He reported that the ship's anchor was damaged and he was forced to head out to sea. As the vessel drifted, RAF helicopters rescued the 28-man crew.
The ship later hit the Stags Rock and was ripped apart in heavy seas. A major disaster was feared as hundreds of seabirds died after oil spilled from the vessel.
In December 1986, Mr Kent bought the wreck of the Kowloon Bridge for one million pounds.Now local people, Jerry Smith and his wife, Rianne, who own the Baltimore Aquaventures dive centre, say they fear that while salvaging the wreck, the fuel oil will be released, causing a massive environmental disaster.
They say that as the sea rises and falls the wreck leaks oil.
"There is still fuel oil coming ashore on the beaches around Toe Head. This discharge is gradual and normal with wrecks where it is very difficult to remove all bunkered fuel during the initial attempts," he said.
Mr Smith said the owner of the wreck has every right to salvage his property but that there must be consultation with local people.
"I expect there to be consultation at both national and local level and with relevant Government departments.
"The original clean-up by Cork County Council was reported as costing £500,000. The owner of the wreck has never had to reimburse this money.
"If he suddenly is able to make the wreck affordable to salvage, because of the change in metal markets, then he should be made to reimburse the clean-up cost," he said.
Mr Kent could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The Department of Transport, which has responsibility for the salvaging of ships, was also unable to comment.