Cork tour operator inundated with requests to see ghost ship

A drone picture of the MV Alta which ran aground on the rocks at Ballyandreen, East Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

A marine leisure company has been blown away by the demand from sightseers to catch a glimpse of the ghost ship which ran ashore in East Cork six months ago, while there are now renewed calls for authorities to deal with the wreck.

The MV Alta washed ashore on the Cork coast during a storm almost six months ago. 

Ballycotton Sea Adventures said they have been blown away by the demand for tours to view the MV Alta.

The firm’s general manager, skipper Alan Cott, said six trips to the wreck last Monday were sold out within minutes of being advertised.

“There is a fascination about this wreck and people do want to see it,” he said.

“We had hundreds of people coming down here when it first washed ashore back in February, with people traipsing along the cliff walk, some not really sure where they were going or what they were doing, and it can be a dangerous place, especially with crowds.

“Things obviously quietened down during lockdown and while we have lost our international visitors, we’re getting a lot of domestic visitors at the moment and people do want to see the wreck so we decided why not offer something that would allow people to view it in a safe manner.

“And the demand has been incredible, to be honest, way above what we expected.” 

Members of Mr Cott's team were amongst the first to spot the drifting freighter after it was washed onto the rocks on February 15 as Storm Dennis battered the country.

It later emerged that the 80-metre, 44-year-old cargo vessel had been abandoned by her 10-strong crew during a storm some 16-months earlier near Bermuda, and that after they were rescued by the US coast guard, the ship was left adrift in the Atlantic. 

It remained lost at sea until it was spotted last September by the Royal Navy in the mid-Atlantic, before it was washed onto the Cork coast.

Tour guide Eddie Fitzgerald on board the Rebecca-C giving a talk about the MV Alta ghost ship.

Cork County Council oversaw a major clean-up operation that involved a helicopter air-lifting almost 80 barrels of oil and potential pollutants from the ship.

Despite efforts to secure the vessel, locals say people have accessed it from the shore. Some are boarding for a dare, and posting images online, while others are hunting for scrap metal.

The authorities have warned of the dangers of such activity, but locals say it is continuing and are urging someone to intervene to deal with the wreck once and for all.  

They said someone needs to take responsibility remove the wreck. Experts have warned that a salvage operation could cost anything from €5m to €10m.

It is understood the owner of the vessel has come forward and identified himself to the Receiver of Wrecks. It is also understood efforts are underway to establish if the ship’s insurance will cover the costs involved in any potential salvage operation. 

The Department of the Marine said queries about the MV Alta should be directed to the Department of Transport.

The Department of Transport said queries should be directed to Cork County Council. A response from the council is awaited.

Mr Cott said until the issue is resolved, he will continue to offer sight-seeing trips to the wreck, with numbers on the catamaran limited to 12.