There will be a new attempt to pull the stuck cutter loose on the beach of Zandvoort. This time with bigger guns from the excavation work. “We are already working hard behind the scenes,” says the daughter of the cutter owner, Lisette Reker. Her father stays in the background and does not talk to the press.
“We don’t yet know exactly when that attempt can be made,” says Reker. “My father is trying to arrange everything. Another tugboat is needed and the intention is to dig a much deeper trench.”
The shrimp trawler ran aground on November 22 and since then several attempts have been made to refloat the ship. The last time was last Thursday, when the water was extra high during the spring tide. But that did not help enough and that is why we are now looking at whether a much deeper channel would offer a solution.
Big machines
Previous attempts also involved digging, but this is now being tackled more thoroughly. “We want to go onto the beach with large machines, but you need a permit for that,” says Reker.
“My father has contacted the municipality for this. I just don’t know whether that can be easily arranged and how long it will take before you get a permit. And everything has to be coordinated. As soon as we are allowed to dig, the tugboat must also be there. Of course, there can’t be days between digging and hauling.”
When the new attempt is being done is therefore not yet entirely clear. There will be a meeting between the skipper and the municipality on Tuesday. We then look at what exactly is needed.
‘No permitting merry-go-round’
Both Rijkswaterstaat and the municipality previously announced that the responsibility for the removal of the ship lies entirely with the owner of the cutter. A spokesperson for Zandvoort says that they will be flexible: “Of course everything has to be done carefully, but we will ensure that the skipper does not end up in an extensive merry-go-round of permits. This man needs help.”