Wakashio captain back in court as stern removal operations get underway

Six months on from its grounding in pristine waters off Mauritius salvage operations to remove the stern of the Wakashio newcastlemax have got underway this week.

The delicate process to remove the stern from a coral reef is being undertaken by a Chinese salvage firm, Lianyungang Dali Underwater Engineering, who have deployed a crane barge, Hong Bang 6, to move it.

The front three quarters of the giant bulk carrier was towed 30 km offshore and scuttled last year.

The ship’s captain, Sunil Kumar Nandeshwa, is reappearing in court today. His chief officer, Hitinamillage Tilakaratna Subodha, last week told the court that the master had diverted the ship’s course to get closer to the Mauritian coastline in search of a wifi internet connection, something he did regularly around the world.