The wreck of the Vanguard II has been recovered from rocks at the Great Orme and towed into Conwy Harbour for disposal following a carefully timed salvage operation by Conwy’s Harbour Team and contractors UIMS of Barmouth.
Complex recovery staged from the sea
Conwy Harbour Master Matt Forbes said the vessel had suffered “multiple holes” to the hull and could not be refloated in a conventional manner. To secure and lift the wreck, teams used six large airbags, which were attached and winched using the harbour’s mooring vessel. The operation relied on a combination of favourable weather and high tides.
“As there were multiple holes in the vessel’s hull, it was floated using six large air bags and winched off the rocks using the harbour mooring vessel.”
The remote location of the grounding meant all equipment had to be transported to the site by sea. The salvage team worked through the week to rig the chains that would secure the airbags, and a favourable forecast on Friday allowed the final lift to take place. The harbour team departed at 5am on Friday and completed the rigging with only minutes to spare on the rising tide.
Divers, conditions and final movements
Divers operating in the recovery wore dry suits, and conditions were recorded at 23 degrees during parts of the operation while retrieving airbags and attaching them to the chains. Once the wreck had been refloated, it was towed to a beach inside Conwy Harbour where it will be disposed of in due course.
- Salvage contractors: UIMS, Barmouth
- Recovery method: six airbags, winched to harbour vessel
- Departure for operation: 5am on Friday
- Final destination: beach in Conwy Harbour
- Operation funded by: the vessel’s insurers
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Salvage team | Conwy Harbour Team & UIMS (Barmouth) |
| Recovery technique | Six airbags attached, winched off rocks |
| Timing | Dependent on high tide and calm weather; rigging completed minutes before rising tide |
| Cost | Paid for by the vessel's insurers |
The removal removes an immediate navigational hazard around the Great Orme and eliminates an ongoing source of potential pollution from the stranded vessel. Conwy Harbour’s involvement, alongside a specialist salvage firm, ensured the operation was conducted with maritime safety protocols in mind and within the tidal window available.
Local residents and leisure users of the harbour are likely to see the physical results of the recovery in the coming days as the wreck is managed and cleared from the foreshore. Any further updates on disposal or environmental monitoring will be provided by the harbour authority as those processes progress.
