A large Liberian registered cargo vessel lost about 90 containers of bananas 140 miles off the Cork coast yesterday after it was hit by a giant wave. Olivia Kelleherand Lorna Sigginsreport.
The Horn Cliff,which was travelling from the Caribbean to Dover, encountered a force 10 storm off the Isles of Scilly yesterday.
A spokesman for Valentia Coastguard said the captain of the ship was badly injured in the incident and possibly has a broken back.
He was last night to be taken to hospital via helicopter to receive treatment for his injuries. Two other seamen on board the ship suffered minor injuries.
Falmouth Coast Guard said the vessel incurred some damage, but there was no danger of it sinking.
Meanwhile, efforts will continue over the weekend to salvage the Portrush all-weather lifeboat which was swept on to rocks off Rathlin island, Co Antrim, earlier this week.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) inspectors examined the hull of the Katie Hannan yesterday and a contractor has been hired to remove fuel from the vessel today.
Weather conditions may also improve sufficiently to attempt to tow the vessel off if it can be refloated, according to the RNLI.
Also, an Irish Coast Guard Sikorsky helicopter based in Dublin assisted with the airlift of 19 crew and four passengers from the roll-on-roll-off ferry Riverdance, which ran aground off Blackpool's north shore on Thursday night.
Salvors will today carry out further assessments and present authorities with salvage plans. A surveillance aircraft overflew the site at lunchtime yesterday and no pollution was reported.
