16 August,2011 07:49 AM IST | | Maleeva Rebello
Amid many smiles and some tears, MT Pavit was finally towed back by two tugboats into the waters yesterday; salvaging operation cost owner Rs 226 crore
On Independence Day, the city's most beloved beach finally managed to wrest itself free from a towering alien presence. After its 15-day long stint entrenched deep in the sludge at Juhu beach, MT Pavit was finally towed back to where it belonged yesterday--the deep waters of the Arabian Sea.u00a0u00a0
Don't take my ship away: While the crew and engineers were joyous
after pulling MT Pavit back into the waters, little toddlers had a tough time
bidding farewell to the vessel. Pics/Maleeva Rebello, Suresh KK
Two tugboats performed the Herculean task of dragging the boat out of the sludge, much to the obvious relief of salvage workers, who couldn't contain their exhilaration as they clapped and whistled. Seeing off the ship was a large crowd of exultant ship gazers, who preferred breaking into loud cries of 'Bharat mata ki jai' over a polite 'bon voyage', as they watched employees of Great Offshore Ltd waving enthusiastic goodbyes from the ship's deck.
The ship was salvaged in the nick of time, as yesterday happened to be the last day that the beach received tides high enough to dislodge the ship from its shores, before August 29. A whopping sum of 50 million dollars (Rs 226 crore) was poured into the operation by the ship's owners. The fate of the ship will be determined after pending formalities are completed by the Director General of Shipping.
Mohit Singh, a salvager from Great Offshore said, "We haven't caught forty winks for three nights in a row, as we were working tirelessly to salvage the ship. Now we can sleep in peace." Captain Sandeep Kalia, head of the salvaging operation said, "Both teams worked very hard for the past week, stepping up their efforts in the last three days."
Another official added, "The sledge that had accumulated around the ship was dredged on Sunday evening and this morning--this made it easier for us to manoeuvre the vessel."
Whew!
Cops and lifeguards who have been sweating it out on the beach expressed relief as well. Ramesh Niar, a lifeguard said, "We have manned the beach continuously to avoid mishaps. The mire surrounding the ship was dangerous, and it was difficult to keep visitors away, especially on weekends."
Inspector Pramod Bhosle from the Juhu-Vile Parle police station said, "I have been on duty at the beach for the past 15 days. The crowds would turn a deaf ear to our advice."u00a0Echoing the sentiments of his fellow fisher folk, Gaurav Mangela said, "We can take our boats to sea via the Mora village route now."
Teary farewell
Kids, however, had a tough time bidding goodbye to the ship, which had symbolised the hope of voyage and adventure to their impressionable minds. "My ship is gone," a small kid was heard murmuring disappointedly.
When and how
11 am: At high tide, the tugging began. Two boats were used.
12 noon: The ship relented, turning seaward.
12:10 pm: The ship took to the water with ease, and was manoeuvred into deeper waters, where it dropped anchor.
