VASCO: The Western India Shipyard Limited (WISL) suffered another disaster when its floating dry dock berthed adjacent to the grounded cruise vessel M V Qing reported water ingress in some wind tanks and slightly got tilted towards the port side, on Wednesday evening.
However, Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) Chairman I Jeyakumar claimed that the situation was under control.
According to reports, the MPT team that is working to salvage M V Qing raised alarm when they noticed the floating dry dock tilting. On receiving information, MPT officials rushed to the site and took stock of the situation.
“We had sent our officers to the site and it was informed to me that the floating dry dock reported water ingress. I feel that as the dock was old and not maintained regularly, the same might have developed some holes in the wind tank due to which the dock reported water ingress. However, the dry dock is safe and there is no immediate danger from it,” Jeyakumar said.
He said that he has been informed that the South Goa collector would issue an order permitting the WISL workers to go to their shed inside the WISL premises and pump out water from the wind tanks of the floating dry dock.
“We would provide all help to WISL workers in pumping out water from the wind tanks of the dry dock. However, if they try to obstruct the salvage operations, then, the same order would be revoked,” he said.
Meanwhile, there was sudden chaos at the WISL when some people there spread information that the dry dock contains oil and the same might lead to disaster. However, the MPT has clarified that the dry dock has no oil in it and the vessel is safe.
