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.

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.

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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