‘Sand, water weighing down Lucky Seven’

Panaji: With a respite in rainfall and the wind losing its force, conditions appeared suitable for towing out the MV Lucky Seven on its last lap, but tugging proved difficult with excess water and sand in it, sources said.
“The sand and water is weighing down the vessel from the aft side and it could not move on Thursday,” an official of GoldenGlobe Hotels said.The range of the high tide at 2.12m was high and suitable for the operation. On Friday, it will be slightly lower at 2.07m and go down further during the next few days.
The salvor, AMS Marine Agency from Egypt, will resume the operation on Friday around noon.
On September 18, the salvors had cleared a major hurdle after hauling the vessel to about 300 metres in the sea from its grounded position of 63 days. But just before noon, the high tide ebbed and the reduced water level brought the vessel to rest on a sand bar formation, forcing any further tugging of the battered vessel.