Recovery effort underway for old fishing boat adrift near Caraquet
A tug boat has arrived in Caraquet to help recover an old fishing boat that floated away after it broke free from its moorings over the weekend.
The Lady Shippagan was set adrift thanks to a combination of weak ropes and strong winds around 5 p.m. Sunday. It came to rest on a nearby bank that evening.
The 38-metre-long vessel, which was built in 1971, was used for cod fishing but has been inactive for several years, during which owner Roger Lanteigne tried to sell it. The bid to sell it is on hold as the effort to bring it to the Bas-Caraquet shipyard gets underway.
In May, Lanteigne planned to put The Lady Shippagan on dry land in Bas-Caraquet, but the attempt failed because it was too heavy.
He was in China on business when he learned his boat broke free.
"They texted me to tell me that the cables had given way," he told Radio-Canada while speaking French. "It was not safe. Whatever happened, happened."
There has been a disagreement between the owner and the Caraquet port authorities for some time, particularly concerning the wharf use rights. Lanteigne said he believes The Lady Shippagan should have been able to be moored inside the dock, rather than outside, and be better protected from the weather.
Lanteigne said the boat won't harm the environment.
"There will be no spill," he said. "There is nothing coming out. All valves are closed."
- With files from Radio-Canada
