Deserted boat to be removed from bay on safety grounds

Deserted boat to be removed from bay on safety grounds

28 June 2017

AN abandoned boat, that is slowly breaking up in Dundrum harbour, is to be removed on safety grounds.

The World War Two-era craft, that was abandoned at a mooring several years ago, is now in such a poor state of repair Newry, Mourne and Down Council is to remove the wrecked boat amid fears children could be injured while playing on it.

Large parts of the hull have disintegrated after years of exposure to the sea, leading to concerns the steal upper structure could collapse inwards. Young people have been known to clamber on to the structure at low tide while others have been swimming out to the craft when the tide is in.

A Newry, Mourne and Down Council committee has now decided the safety implications of leaving the craft to break up completely are so serious it must be removed.

At a meeting of the council’s Regulatory and Technical Services Committee this week councillors agreed the vessel should be removed as quickly as possible on safety grounds.

Councillors rejected a plan by officials that a marine engineer should be asked to survey the boat, at a cost of £1,000, and make recommendations on the future of the vessel.

Led by councillor Willie Clarke, the councillors said the condition of the boat has already been highlighted to the council in a previous report by a salvage expert and another survey was not needed.

“The vessel is breaking up and we are saying we should begin the process of removing it,” said Mr Clarke.

“If a child swims out and hurts himself on that vessel, or if the vessel falls, or a piece of it falls, who is liable. The danger is that by dithering and a child is injured it could put us in a very bad place,” he added.

Councillor Stephen Burns agreed saying the boat should be removed on health and safety grounds because it is in a public area of Dundrum Bay.

“Kids are swimming out to it and set aside the liability issues, some parent is going to end up burying a child and that is the main concern of many people in Dundrum,” he said.

Councillors votes by seven votes to one to begin the removal process which is likely to take at least four months. The decision must be ratified at the next meeting of the full council.