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Video captures moment pirate ship Revenge partially removed from Faversham Creek this week

10:12, 03 June 2020

updated: 10:58, 03 June 2020

The moment the remains of a derelict pirate ship were pulled from mud this week after being left stranded for four years has been captured on video.

Sailing vessel Revenge ran aground near the entrance of Faversham Creek in 2016 - and has remained there ever since.

Watch: Revenge partially removed from Faversham Creek (video: Robin Warren)

Statutory harbour authority for the River Medway and The Swale, Peel Ports, issued a notice on the decision to partially remove the vessel this week.

The boat Liftmoor has been on site from Monday and has been working to remove the bow section and parts of the superstructure.

Peel Ports stated the boat is causing a hazard to navigation.

The operation will involve cutting and grinding the steelwork.

Video footage captured a team working to partially remove the vessel yesterday.

Lifeboat crews received a mayday call from the 60ft sailing vessel Revenge in 2016 after it became stuck.

The ship's captain - self-proclaimed pirate Finbarr O'Brien - and four crew were on their way to party island Ibiza when the ship ran aground.

But after being stuck in the creek for a year, she met a watery end as she capsized during flooding.

There were attempts to save the vessel - including one where a digger ended up being swallowed by mud in a bid to dig a channel so she could be righted.

Disaster struck when a blaze broke-out which left the pirate ship burning on the river bank for more than 12-hours.

The fire was thought to have been started deliberately.

Fire crews worked with the Environment Agency to make sure environmental damage was kept to a minimum.

But a decision was taken to let the fire burn out.

All that remains now is the steel skeleton of the boat.

Read more: All the latest news from Faversham

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