Special Tugs reach Karachi today to salvage vessel stuck at beach

KARACHI: The shipowner has contacted special salvage tugs and equipment to pull the vessel stuck at the city’s beach out of the area, quoting sources ARY News reported on Sunday.

The salvage tugs and equipment called from the UAE by the shipowner company, will reach this afternoon, sources said.

The salvage tugs will try to pull the vessel out of the beach in collaboration with the Karachi Port Trust (KPT).

The shipping company has been asked to remove oil from the vessel before the rescue operation, according to sources.

The KPT has said that oil booms have been deployed to contain possible spillage of oil from the vessel.

The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) and the port authority monitoring the situation and available for any operational and tactical assistance to the vessel it might need in Pakistani waters.

Cargo vessel (MV) Heng Tong 77 ran aground and stuck at Karachi beach near Seaview in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The 98 metres in length and 20 metres wide ship, with a capacity of 3,600 dead weight tonnage, said to be waiting for a crew change outside the Karachi harbour while on its way to Turkey from China when a sea storm caused it to lose its anchors and start drifting towards the shore.