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LAST UPDATE | 18 Sep 2024
A ONE-TIME SMUGGLER’S ship, intercepted by authorities a decade ago, has been sunk in the seabed off Co Mayo to create the country’s first artificial reef.
The MV Shingle was seized by authorities when it was used in an attempt to transport a shipment that led to the seizure of 32 million cigarettes and 4.5 tonnes of tobacco in 2014.
After a High Court order for the forfeiture of the ship to the State, it has mainly sat in storage as authorities tried to figure out what to do with the 60 metre vessel.
The sinking was livestreamed and can be watched back here.
It’s all part of a joint venture between local company Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef, the Revenue Commissioners, Mayo County Council and Sligo County Council.
The ship will form a diving wreck off the West coast to create an artificial reef.
Killala Bay Ship 2 Reef (KBS2R) said it wants to transform the old ship into an “Atlantic underwater oasis” by creating a tourism attraction.
Earlier this year, a Maritime Area Consent licence was granted to KBS2R to allow them to tow the Shingle to Killala Bay from New Ross, Co Wexford – a three-day journey that came to an end yesterday.
Planning permission was granted by Mayo County Council in July for the preparation, transportation and placement of the MV Shingle on the seabed of Killala Bay.
Local Mayo county councillor Michael Loftus and trained diver Michael Loftus said it was an exciting time as today’s sinking is the culmination of an idea that can be traced back to 2008.
He told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the company expects to make back the €2 million spent on the project by 2027.
“We expect that this money that they have spent on it up to this will be paid back within the three-year period from diving tourism, fishing tourism [and] marine research,” Loftus said.
He added that it has the potential to “enhance the biodiversity” of the sea area, however, environmental group Coast Watch Ireland has aired some concerns about the plan.
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Underwater Oasis? Is there no limits to how low those Gallagher guys will sink.
@Larry Betts: and the funny bit is that their mother is initially from Mayo.
What were the chances two Michael Loftus’s came together and said the exact same thing? Uncanny.
@Meh Meh: A case of Loftus cheek,if you listen to the well informed football pundits
@Meh Meh: Same Michael Loftus who is a trained diver.
@Bert Carolan: So there is a third Michael Loftus who drives locomotives? How many Michael Lofti are there? And what is all their interest in sunken boats? This is getting complicated.
@Meh Meh: Maybe there are many more with Lofti ambitions
@Meh Meh: TRAINED DIVER.
Is someone reading this to you?
But actually Michael Loftus is a common enough name in Mayo.
@Meh Meh: Will the Real Michael Lawless, please stand up!
@Bert Carolan: That may be so, but in this case it is the same person and clearly a bad edit
Tell me it didn’t cost 2 million to tow the boat from Dublin to Mayo and pay someone to cut a hole in it…
@James Carolan: it had to be cleaned of asbestos and other chemicals in it.
What a waste of scrap
@Basildon Joe: Price of scrap steel is so low it would end up costing more to dispose of.
@Basildon Joe: Low-info comment. What else would one do with it? A great idea.
@Basildon Joe: always have to be giving out about something don’t you
@John Doe: If you gave every person in Ireland 10k . I guarantee there would be loads of people moaning as they stuffed the money in their back pocket. It’s the world we live in. Take plenty of no notice.
@Basildon Joe: Joe the Hoe has spoken.
@Basildon Joe: I have a proper pansies fan club here! Thanks girls god bless
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