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
BREAKING Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
'Nobody should be getting away with murder': Grieving mother speaks out after son killed in North Preston, N.S.
A grieving mother is speaking out after her 36-year-old son was shot and killed in North Preston, N.S., Wednesday night.