Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) on Tuesday said a first attempt to move a grounded tanker off Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, had been unsuccessful, according to CBC.
They say they the salvage team now have to wait a few days for bad weather to clear before trying again.
The harbour bunker tanker Arca 1 lost engine power and grounded on a sandy bottom in Little Pond, near Florence, Cape Breton on Sunday.
A salvage team from McKeil Marine attempted to dislodge the vessel using two tugboats on Tuesday with the intention of then towing it to the Port of Sydney.
Two CCG ships and two from Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) were also involved.
But the effort failed when the salvors were unable to pump out enough ballast water before the tide turned.
The vessel, which was en route from Montreal to Mexico, sits about 150 metres from shore and has attracted crowds of observers.
CCG confirmed that the ship remains upright and no pollution appears to have occurred. The Arca 1 is carrying no cargo but does have 15 tonnes of fuel for its engines.
The six-person crew of the ship, which is owned by Mexico’s Petroil Marina, were safely evacuated by Canadian Forces helicopter on Sunday.
