Plan drawn up to remove harmful substance from barge

It was stranded off Ullal coast after hitting a reef on Saturday

IBIS Barge that got stranded in the sea after hitting a reef near Ullal Coast in Mangaluru.

Fearing oil spill or discharge of hazardous material from Barge IBIS that continues to remain stranded off the Ullal coast — two days after 27 people aboard were rescued — the Coast Guard and the Dakshina Kannada district administration on Tuesday drew up a plan to de-fuel it and remove any harmful substance stacked up.

However, the decision on salvaging the barge will depend on the climatic condition. Heavy rains have made operations difficult.

A team of salvaging experts from Singapore and engineers from the Public Works Department on Tuesday went in a boat to the reef near the coast where the barge remains stranded.

The barge was stranded at sea when it was damaged after hitting a reef near the Mangaluru Ullal Coast on Saturday.