A third attempt will be made this morning to move a ship which ran aground on a sandbank in the Shannon estuary. Three heavy tugs failed in an effort to shift the vessel last night.
The ship, Princess Vanya, was en route from west Africa for the jetty at Aughinish Island with a 59,000-tonne cargo of bauxite when it ran aground at Beal Bank shortly after it rounded Kerry Head.
A lull in the weather before today's gale force wind conditions provided a window of a few hours for the operation last night, Mr Alan Coghlan, the Shannon Foynes Port Company's harbour master, said. He said the first attempt to move the vessel early yesterday afternoon was unsuccessful because of adverse tidal conditions.
The crew of 26 received clearance from the Irish Coastguard to remain on board while the attempt was made.
The ship was due to be moved to a safe anchorage two miles west of Scattery Island. A coastguard helicopter found no evidence of any oil leakage.
An investigation into how the 225-metre merchant ship ran aground will be carried out by the company.