The refloating of a Thorco Shipping general cargoship has hit a snag off French Polynesia.
The 16,900-dwt Thorco Lineage (built 2014) was pulled free of a reef at the Raroia atoll on Tuesday by a tug, but an hour later the tow cable broke, leaving the vessel adrift, according to a French navy statement cited by La Depeche website.
The vessel had been towed a safe distance from shore and was in 1,000 metres of water about 1.5 miles away from land.
Drift prediction models used by Tahitian authorities indicated it would keep drifting in a south-westerly direction.
Another tug was due on site on Thursday evening, while the tug already there was monitoring Thorco Lineage.
Attempts to re-establish a tow had failed.
The ship grounded last week en route from the US to Australia with a cargo of zinc.
Local reports said it had developed engine problems.
Thorco told TradeWinds on Wednesday: "We are in close dialogue with the vessel’s owners and technical managers. Investigations are still ongoing."
It added that the salvage team had already arrived, and the ship would be towed to a shallow location in order to perform an inspection by daylight.
The company had no further updates on Thursday.
The owner is listed as Phoenix Carriers of Denmark.
No injuries to the 18-strong crew have been reported. No pollution has been spotted either.
