The container ship Saga ran aground on coral reefs in Caribbean Sea off George Town, Cayman Islands. The vessel was maneuvering to leave the port, but hardy stuck into the reef shallow. The accident was reported to the local authorities and at the scene was dispatched tug, which refloated the ship and towed her back to the port. It was understood that container ship Saga suffered serious damages after grounding and has breaches before the waterline. Some of the ballast tanks of the ship were flooded, but fortunately there was no immediate danger for the seaworthiness and stability. The container carrier will be repaired and fully inspected before return in service.
During the grounding there were no injured people and no reported water pollution. The fuel tanks of the ship were no damaged. The local authorities started investigation for the root cause of the accident. The reason for grounding is not yet determined, as probably it happened after human mistake of the duty officer.
The Ministry of Environment says it is aware of the incident and is in the preliminary stages of its investigation into the grounding and survey of the reef.
“The environment is Cayman’s most precious commodity, and a viable public asset that affects our way of life. Any purported damage to our natural resources is a matter of grave concern,” a statement from The Ministry of Environment said. “The Department of Environment’s assessment of the incident is still in the preliminary stages; and they will be surveying the damage in the coming days.’
The statement added: “Once the true environmental impact of this incident is identified, the Ministry will be taking legal advice on the next course of action. The public can rest assured that arrangements are being made so that the responsible party can make restitution.”
