Master of wrecked bulk carrier handed suspended sentence in Gibraltar 

The captain of the wrecked OS 35 bulk carrier was given a suspended four-month sentence at a court in Gibraltar yesterday, accused of being negligent. Captain Abdelabari Kaddura will wait to find out if he is hit with further pollution charges later this week.

Meanwhile, after much weather delays, the operation to remove the wreck is now underway. 

The ship came into contact with LNG carrier Adam LNG while manoeuvring to exit the port of Gibraltar on August 29 last year. The aft of the ship grounded, and a gash opened up on the starboard of the hull and in the following weeks the ship lost its structural integrity. 

The stern of the ship has now been freed from the sandy seafloor and is being readied to be loaded onto a nearby semi-submersible vessel. The forward part of the ship, which has suffered more damage, will require a more delicate operation to be removed with authorities hoping they will be rid of the OS 35 by the end of the month.