Wrecked sailing yacht recovered from Minquiers reef

Wrecked sailing yacht recovered from Minquiers reef

The vessel – Aruba – went down on Sunday night after it broke free from a States mooring buoy and struck rocks.

Its three crew scrambled onto the reef and were rescued in a joint operation by the RNLI and the Jersey Lifeboat Association.

Last night, Jersey Oyster’s landing craft, Normandy Trader, and the Ports of Jersey workboat Halcyon, were able to position themselves close to the wrecked vessel and moved it from the rocks into a lagoon to allow a recovery attempt at low water.

Picture: PORTS OF JERSEY (28547494)

Once the yacht was in position and tide had fallen enough to expose the vessel’s rigging, lines were rigged, the mast removed, and the vessel pulled onboard the Normandy Trader.

A small amount of gearbox oil and diesel were lost during the recovery, but the fuel tanks remained intact.

Harbourmaster Bill Sadler said: ‘This was a difficult and challenging task requiring the highest level of seamanship to complete successfully and it is very likely if action hadn’t been taken to remove the wreck it would have broken up over the next few days posing risk to both navigation and the environment.

‘I would also like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone involved in this salvage operation. The vessel has now been brought back to St Helier’s New North Quay.’

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