Council moves to clarify it did not pay for raising of sunken Carrickfergus boat after all
The local authority has moved to clarify that the public did not pay for the salvage of a sunken wreck in Carrickfergus Harbour.
Work had been under way for a couple of weeks to prepare the Breda Caroline vessel for being raised, and last Wednesday she was hoisted out of the harbour by crane, exactly two months after she sank.
This image of the salvaged vessel was taken by photographer Peter Mulholland.
The News Letter had asked Mid and East Antrim Borough Council who paid for the salvage and how much it cost.
The reply came: “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.”
The council has now said that, despite the statement above, it did not in fact pay for the salvage of the vessel, so has no salvage costs to recover.
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.