DIGGER UPDATE: Has the Rampion digger's saviour arrived?

By The Newsroom
Published 10th Apr 2017, 13:45 BST
Updated 9th May 2017, 18:25 BST
The stricken Rampion digger, with Grand Canyon III in the distance. Picture: Eddie MitchellThe stricken Rampion digger, with Grand Canyon III in the distance. Picture: Eddie Mitchell
The stricken Rampion digger, with Grand Canyon III in the distance. Picture: Eddie Mitchell
Has the saviour of the stranded Rampion digger arrived?

A large offshore construction vessel has been spotted off the coast of Worthing beach, near the location of the stricken Rampion digger.

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The digger, which was named ‘Moby Dig’ following a recent reader poll, has been stuck in the sea since Tuesday.

It had been working on the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm.

The stricken Rampion digger, with Grand Canyon III in the distance. Picture: Eddie MitchellThe stricken Rampion digger, with Grand Canyon III in the distance. Picture: Eddie Mitchell
The stricken Rampion digger, with Grand Canyon III in the distance. Picture: Eddie Mitchell

Rampion, which is owned by energy company E.ON, has not yet announced how it intends to move the 80-foot digger.

However, the sight of the 127ft ‘Grand Canyon III’, a specialist construction vessel featuring a large crane, near the digger may give some indication of how the company intends to rescue it.

The vessel has a deadweight carrying capacity of 7,900 tonnes, according to shipping tracker Marine Traffic, and is registered in Panama.

Video credit: Eddie Mitchell

Related topics:E.ON