Salvage crews have removed approximately 8,000 litres of diesel from a fishing vessel that broke apart after grounding on the New South Wales south coast, but the clean-up operation is expected to take months.
The 22 metre vessel, Strike Force, ran aground at Bawley Point on 27 October 2026. Rough conditions subsequently caused the hull to break up, scattering fibreglass, foam and other debris along the rocky shoreline and nearby beaches.
NSW Maritime director Deon Voyer told regional news outlet About Regional that accessing the fuel tanks proved particularly challenging. The wreck was lying against a rocky shelf with waves washing around the hull, making conventional pumping arrangements difficult to establish. Crews instead used small electric pumps, recovering roughly 100 litres per hour while working around tidal conditions.
With the diesel removed early in the operation, the clean-up has shifted to the vessel's remaining structure, large sections of which still need to be cleared, along with lighter debris that has spread beyond the original grounding site.
By 30 October, crews had removed large sections of wreckage from the water, with all terrain vehicles deployed to North Beach to assist shoreline recovery. Local Rural Fire Service crews helped clear larger debris over the following weekend and six days later most remaining large beach debris had been collected.
Voyer said divers will be needed to retrieve submerged components once sea conditions allow safe access. The exposed location means weather, swell and tides will determine when personnel and equipment can operate.
NSW Maritime is coordinating the remaining work with other government agencies, the vessel's owner and insurers, who consider the vessel beyond repair. Recoverable components will be removed, with damaged material disposed of or recycled where possible.
The circumstances of the grounding remain under investigation by NSW Maritime, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and NSW Water Police. No injuries were reported.
