A “ghost ship” which ran aground in Ballycotton, Co Cork two years ago has split in two following multiple storms this year.
The 80m freighter MV Alta was driven onto rocks outside Ballycotton at
the height of Storm Dennis on February 15th, 2020.
It is no longer considered to pose a pollution risk to the east Cork area following a fuel removal operation by Cork County Council. A special helicopter air-lift operation successfully removed almost 80 barrels of oil and potential pollutants from the 44 year old ship in 2020.
No legally verified claim to ownership has been received. Prior to it breaking in two the salvage value of the vessel given its age and condition was described as negligible.
It is understood the Department of Transport has established a working group, chaired by the Irish Coast Guard, to explore the risks associated with derelict ships. Cork County Council has discharged all of its obligations towards the ship under the relevant legislation.
MV Alta was built in 1976 and operated in Europe, Asia and Africa before it was consigned to more risky waters. It was the focus of an attempted hijacking off Africa and another reported attack by pirates off Guyana in South America.
In October 2018 it broke down some 1,400 nautical miles from Bermuda en route from Greece to Haiti with the US Coastguard having to mount a major rescue operation for the 20-strong multi-national crew.
In September 2019, the vessel was spotted drifting empty and abandoned in the mid Atlantic by a Royal Navy ice patrol ship, HMS Protector. East Cork locals were then shocked when the ship was driven onto rocks outside Ballycotton at the height of Storm Dennis.
Cork County Council issued a warning to the public after it became a target for sightseers. Several people boarded the vessel as part of a dare and posted the footage on social media.