Operation continues to rescue Japanese ship stranded on Cape Town beach

Cape Town (S.Africa), May 18 (Xinhua-ANI): The rescue operation continued on Friday to salvage a Japanese ship that ran aground on a Cape Town beach in South Africa last week.

"The salvage team will attempt to tow the vessel off the beach on Friday, once the fuel has been removed and the bracket secured, " a statement from the municipal government of Cape Town said.

"Traffic services has been requested to assist in securing access on the road, for the fuel tanker to park at the most efficient point for fuel loading," the statement said.

Previous attempts to salvage the ship have failed amid complaints about lack of cooperation from the crew, drawing concern from the Japanese embassy in Pretoria, rescuers said.

The embassy issued a statement on Thursday, urging the owner of the vessel to "fully cooperate with the South African authorities and to take urgent actions help salvage the vessel."

"The embassy of Japan will continue to cooperate fully with the government of the republic of South Africa for the expeditious salvaging of the vessel," the statement said.

Due to thick fog, the Japanese vessel, named Eihatsu Maru, ran aground off First Beach in Clifton, Cape Town in the early hours last Saturday.

Of the 28 crew members on board from Taiwan, 19 were evacuated. The remaining crew and the captain were required to stay on the ship under international maritime law, according to the local media.

The salvage team has been draining 90 to 110 tons of diesel fuel from the ship into a rubber bladder on the beach which would then be transferred to a fuel tanker.

The team had also welded into the trawler a bracket which could withstand the required pull force.

The city of Cape Town, the South Africa Maritime Authority and the National Sea Rescue Institute all took part in the rescue operation. (Xinhua-ANI)