L'Ecume II: Recovery of sunken fishing trawler begins

The operation to lift L'Ecume II has begun

The operation to raise a sunken trawler off Jersey's coast has begun.

The fishing trawler L'Ecume II sank after it collided with a freight ferry on 8 December.

The bodies of crew members Larry Simyunn and Jervis Baligat have been recovered, but the body of skipper Michael Michieli remains missing.

The government confirmed a specialist dive team of nine divers and a support crew with remotely operated vehicles (ROV) have been deployed to the site.

It said a dive team would start a survey of the wreck site, which is required ahead of the lifting operation.

A 20m (65ft) tug boat laid anchors on site in preparation for the deployment of the Gaverland recovery barge.

The states asked all mariners to be mindful of the 1,000m (3,280ft) radius exclusion zone around the wreck site, and to "keep well clear" of the vessels working in the operation.

It said the operation was now fully mobilised, and would continue to be "dependent on fair weather conditions".

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