The Cayman Aggressor IV, which ran aground earlier on Thursday on a reef in the North Sound, is now afloat.
The 108-foot-long boat was grounded on a reef west of Stingray City Channel into North Sound Thursday morning, prompting a response from the Navigator tugboat, the Cayman Islands Coast Guard and the Department of Environment.
A statement from Aggressor Adventures on its website Thursday afternoon said that the ship is no longer on the sandbar and is in the process of being moved to her anchorage.
“We will be assessing if there is any damage. The safety of our passengers and staff remains our utmost priority, and we appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure a safe and secure environment for all involved,” the statement said.
All guests and crew were quickly removed from the stricken vessel shortly after it ran aground.
The Coast Guard, in a comment to the Cayman Compass, said that at 4am Thursday the vessel contacted its Operations & Rescue Coordination Centre to report that they had run aground in the vicinity of Stingray City with passengers aboard.
The Coast Guard, in conjunction with the DoE, Port Authority, and the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands are making enquiries into the cause of the grounding, and any impact it may have had on the environment.
The owners of the vessel have made arrangements to have the boat salvaged, the Coast Guard said, adding that no injuries had been reported at this time.
Meanwhile, the DoE told the Compass its response teams are awaiting the all-clear from the Coast Guard, who are monitoring the salvage operation, before entering the area to assess any potential environmental impacts.
“The DoE will work alongside local authorities to determine the next steps once investigations have concluded,” the department added.
Original story
Efforts are now under way to assist the Cayman Aggressor IV liveaboard dive boat that ran aground on a reef west of Stingray City Channel into North Sound Thursday morning.
The 108-foot-long boat remains lodged on the reef. All guests and crew were quickly removed from the stricken vessel, according to a statement from Aggressor Adventures on its web page.
“The safety and well-being of our passengers and staff are our top priorities. We are relieved to report that there were no injuries and everyone is safely off the vessel.
The boat remains lodged on the reef, however, as authorities wait out the tide to launch a recovery effort.
The Navigator tugboat is on site, Department of Environment Deputy Director Tim Austin told the Cayman Compass in a brief message.
“DOE is assembling a research team to document the extent of damage to coral and the reef,” he said.
The Cayman Islands Coast Guard, in a short statement to the Compass said, at around 4am, it was informed of a vessel running aground in the vicinity of Stingray City.
It said officers responded and the cause of the grounding is being investigated.
Scott Slaybaugh, Department of Environment deputy director of operations and enforcement, told the Compass Thursday morning that the DoE is monitoring the situation for oil spill and has detected none so far.
“Cayman Islands Coast Guard and DoE have vessels on site observing. Salvage attempt is underway,” he added.
The Cayman Aggressor IV, according to its website, schedules year-round, seven night/eight day diving cruises in the Cayman Islands and has nine recently refurbished air-conditioned en-suite cabins.
The vessel can accommodate up to 18 passengers and six crew. The boat went on its maiden voyage in February this year.
According to a post from a passenger, the boat ran aground around 2:30am.
Later on Thursday, the Aggressor Adventures group released a brief statement on its Facebook page, saying, “We are aware of the incident that occurred this morning, involving the Cayman Aggressor IV running aground near Stingray City sandbar.
“The Licensee is working closely with local authorities and maritime experts to assess the situation and expect high tide to solve the issue. We will provide further updates as we gather more information and take appropriate actions to address the situation.”
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