The frigate will probably not be raised until after Christmas
The raising of frigate Helge Ingstad is currently delayed due to demanding weather conditions. Now the Armed Forces assume that the frigate won’t be lifted out of the water till after Christmas.
The Defence Department and the Navy are concerned that the frigate can slide into deeper water, according to Bergens Tidende.
The weather conditions in the area where the ship is imposed minor movements of the vessel, the Armed Forces announces Wednesday.
Monitored continuously
– The movements are monitored continuously. The ship is being secured both by land and underwater with remote-controlled robots. Maintenance of the straps and possible reinforcement of these straps are assessed on a continuous basis, states the Armed Forces.
The Armed Forces estimate that the earliest time for the raising of the frigate will be December 25th. The weather conditions at the harbour were good until Monday afternoon. Then all dive operations and work at the frigate were stopped.
Demanding operation
On Tuesday all the missiles were removed from the deck of the damaged frigate.
– The raising of KNM Helge Ingstad is a demanding and complex maritime operation. There are several uncertainties that may affect the schedule, including weather conditions, the vessel’s stability and the risk of pollution, said Arild Øydegard, project manager for Bergensavisen on Tuesday.
According to Øydegard, it is working as fast to raise it as soon as possible.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
