GALAPAFACE 1

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Galapaface refloated and sunk

In an operation that lasted from the morning of July 15 until July 17 at 5:30 p.m. the "Galapaface 1" was refloated, towed from the grounding site in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and sunk. On July 15 at 02:30 a.m. towing if the ship outside of the Galapagos Marine Reserve started. Cruising at a speed of about 1.8 knots, the vessel reached the sinking site on July 16 at 2:30 p.m., being pulled by the tugs "Antillen" and "Isla Santay", being escorted by the "Isla Fernandina" of the Coast Guard. Then the runner crew was taken off, and the suction pumps and valves attached to the ship were uncovered. The water began to enter until the ship sank stern first three hours later. Reports with photos: http://www.ambiente.gob.ec/continua-cuarta-fase-de-plan-de-salvataje-del-galapaface-i/ http://galapagosblog.org/tag/galapaface/

After cargo removal last phase of salvage starts

On July 8 the National Directorate of the Galapagos National Park (DNPG) reported that the "Galapaface I" was resting on the seabed at anchor and being stabilized by two tugs. All cargo, including construction material which was immersed in the lower holds and about 1,200 tonnes of various cargoes has been removed. The last phase during which two 25-ton- buoys were mobilized from Guayaquil, allowing to refloat the ship within the next 12 days. The vessel must be towed 20 miles out and will then be sunk at a water depth of approximately 2500 meters, where the effect on the marine biodiversity of the islands was negligable. Spanish report with photo: http://www.hoy.com.ec/noticias-ecuador/dos-meses-y-el-buque-sigue-encallado-en-galapagos-609839.html

Full moon rotated grounded freighter

While the "Galapaface I" remained being stuck on the rocks off San Cristóbal Island, she was rotated 40 degrees by high tides strengthened by a full moon around May 23, further damaging its hull and worrying the people involved in the salvage effort. However, there has been no evidence of contamination in the waters around the ship. The ship now has holes with a size of up to 3.5 meters length. The mixture of seawater, rotting produce and toxic substances swirling about inside the ship's hull has formed a contaminant soup. The ship will be pumped out once the holes are patched. The salvage operators planned to import tons of equipment and repair supplies from abroad to patch and refloat the "Galapaface I" before scuttling the wreck on a water depth of 2000 meters. Some items were awaiting customs clearance on the Ecuadorian mainland, despite a government-declared state of emergency. The Environment Minister was doing everything possible to speed up the process.A generator salvors had hoped to use to power the ship's crane was not yet operating in the afternoon of May 23. The generator had to be dismantled for shipping by plane from the Ecuadorian mainland and then reassembled at the site of the grounding in San Cristóbal, a work, which was going slowly. Once the generator was running and the crane could be operated, crews would be able to hoist some of the heavier items the "Galapaface I" was transporting, including a forklift truck.