Ballycotton 'ghost ship' posed 'unacceptable' risk to public who boarded it 

New report said it could 'not rule out a fatality as being possible' as a result of people trying to access the shipwreck

MV Alta has attracted large numbers of sightseers since it grounded onto rocks at Ballyandreen Bay, west of Ballycotton, on February 16, 2020, during Storm Dennis. Picture: Cork County Council

The wreck of a “ghost ship” that has lain on rocks in east Cork for over three years posed an “unacceptable” risk to members of the public who boarded the vessel, a report has revealed.

A health and safety assessment of the wreck of MV Alta, located about 1.5km outside Ballycotton, Co Cork, identified several “high level” risks for people on board the vessel or in its vicinity, given the potential for its further deterioration during storms.