Mumbai: Foreign experts to haul vessel

More than 24 hours after floating restaurant Ark Deck Bar capsized near Bandra-Worli Sea Link, authorities have still not been able to move the sinking vessel due to rough weather, and a Singapore-based company has been appointed to salvage the vessel. It will visit Mumbai on Sunday.

The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) on Saturday said that seawater was very rough amid warnings of a cyclone. "Even the divers could not make headway due to the choppy seas. We will try again on Sunday," said Vikram Kumar, MMB Chief Executive Officer. "Once the conditions improve, we will try to repair the vessel on the spot or anchor it at a safe location."

On Friday afternoon, hours before a party was scheduled to start, the floatel started sinking, following which 13 crew members were rescued. Friday was the last day for floatels to be operational before monsoon.

An Ark spokeswoman said, "The divers are waiting for the currents to calm down so they can assess the exact damage and reason for the vessel to tilt. We have hired Singapore-based SMIT, world's biggest salvaging company, to salvage this situation. All oil and waste has been removed."