Council intends to recover costs of raising sunken boat from bottom of Carrickfergus Harbour

The local authority plans to try and recoup the costs of salvaging a boat wreck in Carrickfergus Harbour.

Work had been under way for a couple of weeks to prepare the Breda Caroline vessel for being raised, and on Wednesday she was hoisted out of the harbour by crane, exactly two months after she sank.

placeholder image — After two months sunken onto the harbour bed, the Breda Caroline was raised in a somewhat grubby state

The wreck had lain next to The Swift bar and restaurant, which is itself a wreck after weeks of work to demolish it.

The boat was surrounded by an oil spill containment boom, but Mid and East Antrim Borough Council had said that there was “no immediate risk” to the environment.

This image of the salvaged vessel was taken by photographer Peter Mulholland.

As to who pays for the recovery of the wreck, the council told the News Letter: “The sunken vessel was successfully recovered on Wednesday October 28 and has been taken to a licensed disposal site.

"Salvage operations are the responsibility of the owner and vessel insurer, therefore any costs incurred by the council will be pursued for recovery.”

It would not say how much the recovery operation actually cost.