Murray River houseboat salvage a success

An 11.2 metre recreational houseboat was successfully salvaged yesterday after it sank on its mooring earlier this month on the Murray River at Moama.

NSW Maritime Acting Executive Director, Alex Barrell said the incident is the third of this kind in recent months and served as a reminder that it is the responsibility of boat owners to maintain their vessels and moorings and to cover costs for any salvage efforts which may be required.

“It’s not a scenario any boat owner hopes to find themselves in, but this successful salvage is good example of NSW Maritime working together with the owner, the insurer and the salvage company to refloat a vessel safely with no risk to navigation or the environment,” Mr Barrell said.

“NSW Maritime worked with salvage company representatives over the last week to develop a well-crafted salvage plan, including ensuring there was appropriate marine pollution response equipment on site.

“A full assessment of the integrity of the houseboat will now be carried out before it is towed from its mooring to the Deep Creek marina where it will be removed from the water.”

NSW Maritime was alerted to the partially submerged vessel near Victoria Park on Sunday 9 August. Boating Safety Officers from Moama then contacted the owner of the vessel, which is insured, to arrange the salvage.

NSW Maritime Officers conduct routine patrols of NSW waterways on a daily basis and have recently advised local boat owners of the need to adjust mooring lines to account for fluctuating river levels.

NSW Maritime will investigate to determine the cause of the sinking.

For information on boating safety, visit www.rms.nsw.gov.au