Goa delays removal of River Princess

The government is in no rush to remove the wreck of the River Princess, which remains an eyesore on Candolim beach for the fifth year.

Amid fears that the wreck will pollute the state’s beaches in the coming monsoon, senior state officials met today and decided to extend the tenure of the British company, Crosschem International Limited (CIL), which won the bid to remove the wreck. The company was to remove the River Princess by May 20. CIL has no expertise in towing away wrecks and sources said it is only equipped to dismantle ships already berthed.

However, the ship has been stripped of all items of value, former CM Dr Wilfred de Souza said.