During the storm on Friday evening 31 August, the midsection of the Seli 1, where the cranes were, toppled over. An oil slick emerged from the wreck. The photo in this article shows the slick, and how the middle part of the wreck has moved out of alignment with the rest of the vessel.
The removal of the vessel is delayed by National Treasury’s failure to give a timeous decision regarding allocation of funds. I know you’re suprised by this.
When we drove out to see the wreck, most of the oil had been cleaned up, but the area was still cordoned off and kite surfers were not allowed in the water. The chief concern seems to be that seabirds will be fouled by the oil. There are nearby nature reserves with rich bird life, and Robben Island could also be affected. SANCCOB is on standby.
Prior Seli 1 updates from Shipwreck Patrol can be found here, here, here, and here.
If you’re interested in visible shipwrecks, check out my ebook Cape Town’s Visible Shipwrecks: A Guide for Explorers!