An operation is underway to determine how to move a grounded car carrier. On Saturday, the ship, named the Höegh Osaka, traveled over tall banks near the Isle of Wight after departing from a port in Southampton, UK.
An operation is underway to determine how to move a grounded car carrier. On Saturday, the ship, named the Höegh Osaka, traveled over tall banks near the Isle of Wight after departing from a port in Southampton, UK.
The vessel is left stranded on top of a sandbank as a result. The more than 50,000 ton ship is listing at an angle of upwards of 50 degrees.
Although the positioning looks rather dangerous, the CEO of the company that owns the ship, Höegh Autoliners, has confirmed the vessel is actually stable.
He claimed it was grounded purposely to protect both the Höegh Osaka and the crew members and pointed out that no oil has been leaked into the water.
On Saturday evening, the Coast Guard rescued 25 crew members who were onboard. No fatalities were reported, however there were a number of non life-threatening injures.
The Höegh Osaka had been heading for Germany and is reportedly carrying about 14 hundred upscale cars. All but 200 of the vehicles are from automaker Jaguar Land Rover.
Höegh Autoliners and a salvage company are working together to make a plan to remove the vessel from its current location in a nondisruptive and safe manner.
