Former Tamil migrant ship being dismantled in B.C.
An abandoned cargo ship that once brought 76 Tamil migrants from Sri Lanka to British Columbia more than a decade ago is being dismantled.
The former MV Ocean Lady was recently at anchor in Desolation Sound, a waterway between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland, following its perilous journey across the Pacific Ocean in 2009.
Coast guard officials say the 56-metre vessel, which was later renamed the MV Mini Fusion, is being deconstructed by the Marine Recycling Corporation, which won a federal contract to dismantle the ship.
The value of the disposal contract was approximately $1,002,104.88, according to a tender award notice published by Public Services and Procurement Canada in May.
The coast guard provided photos to CTV News on Tuesday showing the vessel's large steel hull in pieces at a marine salvage yard near Campbell River, B.C.
The coast guard says it removed more than 32,000 litres of fuel and oil from the vessel while at anchor last year. Even so, the abandoned cargo ship was deemed a navigational hazard and a threat to the sensitive marine environment.
The shipbreaking contract requires that the work is carried out in an environmentally compliant manner, including the salvage and recycling of scrap metal and controlled disposal of hazardous waste, according to the coast guard.
The vessel was placed on a submersible drydock last month and floated to Duncan Bay, near Campbell River, for destruction.
The former MV Ocean Lady was recently at anchor in Desolation Sound, a waterway between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland. (Canadian Coast Guard)
Built in Japan in 1990, the cargo ship was the first of two vessels carrying Tamil asylum seekers to reach B.C.'s coastal waters more than a decade ago. Its arrival was followed 10 months later by the arrival of the MV Sun Sea, which carried 492 migrants fleeing war in Sri Lanka.
A Victoria company won a $4.15-million contract to dispose of the Sun Sea in 2019.
The federal government says that since 2016 it has funded the removal and disposal of nearly 500 derelict vessels under the $3.5-billion Oceans Protection Plan.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.