Miramar/Campal (Goa): After a long two months wait, the ‘unlucky’ off shore casino ship M V Lucky 7 has finally been towed in deeper waters off Campal this morning. The three tug boats, one of which belongs to the Captain of Ports Department pulled it off during the salvaging operation that resumed after over a week.  

“Yes, the vessel is in Mandovi River, in deeper waters off Campal. The salvors will now carry out an underwater survey for its further repairs,” Captain James Braganza, who along with his team has been monitoring the situation on a day-to-day basis, told this reporter. 

Egypt-based M/s VMS Marine LLC had deployed its salvors, experts and technicians to ensure the vessel is moved away from the Miramar beach, presence of which since July 16 has eroded the shoreline to a certain extent.  

The 5,000 ton vessel had stranded at the frequented beach while it attempted to enter River Mandovi despite a warning from the CoP about rough weather till September 15. The High Court, which has also been monitoring the activity, had pulled up Golden Globe Hotels Pvt Ltd for the crisis observing that casinos are replaceable but not environment. The court will hear the matter shortly with the concerned parties submitting the development. 

The Goa State Pollution Control Board had last month issued fresh notices to the casino-owned company for paying Rs 1 crore towards damages to the ecology.

The towing attempts saw a number of failures during this period wherein engine of a tug boat collapsed and ropes tied between the ship and the tug parted. Besides low tide the major hurdle was a mixture of sand and water entering the vessel through the hole beneath it that resulted into tilting of the vessel.