17 February 2004	Tuesday	25 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 16: Following a fresh approval by the Customs, the international salvage team restarted on Monday evening its operation to remove the wreck of the Tasman Spirit, the maritime sources said.

The operation remained suspended for about 48 hours as the Customs (Preventive) personnel on Saturday had asked the salvagers to halt their work as the import duties on the forward portion of the wreck was required to be paid by buyers before its removal to to the proposed site in Gadani.

During their previous attempt to lift the wreck from the seabed, the salvagers had been successful in pulling it up by about 4 metres. Now the team is being mobilized again and it is likely that further attempts to refloat the wreck would be made either on Tuesday or the days following, said the source.

The Customs people had given a green signal. A partner in the firm buying the wreck said that after negotiations, the Customs authorities had issued a fresh letter, agreeing that import duties would be collected after the beaching of the forward portion of the wreck at Gadani, Balochistan.