A heavy November storm has inflicted fresh damage on the MSC Baltic III, which has been grounded off Newfoundland's coast since February, severely disrupting ongoing salvage operations, according to the latest Canadian Coast Guard CCG reports.
The 2 478-TEU vessel, built in 2003, ran aground in Wild Cove near Cedar Cove on February 15 after losing power in stormy weather. The vessel reported a loss of power and all 20 crew were safely evacuated in a Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter.
Initial assessments revealed 'significant breaches or holes' in the hull, with 75 of the structure resting stably on the seabed and approximately 1 600 metric tons of heavy fuel and marine gas oil aboard.