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A dive salvage team will have to sit and wait before attempting to refloat a boat which sank in Riverton due to stormy weather conditions earlier this week.
The boat is sitting on the mudflats of Jacobs River Estuary and an additional anchor has been set to stabilise the vessel, in case of an oil spill.
Environment Southland regional harbour master and maritime manager Lyndon Cleaver said the safety of the dive salvage team was paramount to the operation and diving visibility at present was extremely limited, due to the recent heavy rainfall.
"The team is yet to assess the full extent of damage to the vessel or work out the final details of the salvage plan. The extent of damage will determine what the best course of action is to salvage the vessel," he said.
The plan was to raise the vessel off the bottom on strops aided by flotation devices which would allow the team to drain as much water as possible, and remove the fuel on the boat, which would mitigate the risk to the environment, Mr Cleaver said.
The vessel would then be shifted to shore, and removed by machinery that would access the vessel through Southland District Council land.
"This is the best course of action for both the safety of the dive salvage team and the environment," Mr Cleaver said.
A staff member from Southland District Council, Environment Southland staff and the dive salvage team will all be on-site when the vessel is removed from the water.
Environment Southland was liaisoning with relevant stakeholders, including the local rūnaka and district council, on the efforts to salvage the vessel from the estuary.