Navy postpones scuttling of ship in Qld

HMAS Tobruk was expected to sink slowly to her watery grave on Tuesday but the operation has now been postponed.

HMAS Tobruk sits off the coast of Port Vila, Vanuatu,

The scuttling of HMAS Tobruk off Queensland has been postponed until the weather improves. (AAP)

Queensland authorities are waiting for a patch of fine weather to send a piece of Australia's naval history to the bottom of the sea.

Experts had hoped to scuttle the former Navy vessel HMAS Tobruk on Tuesday, but poor conditions forced a postponement.

Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said scuttling a former naval ship was a complex operation.

"While we are all keen to witness this historic event, the safety of everyone involved is priority," the minister said in a statement.

The project team has extended the window for scuttling the vessel out until Thursday 28 June, and if weather is still not favourable the second window is from Tuesday July 3 to Tuesday July 10.

They're warning anyone who was intending to watch the event that they would only have a few days notice of the rescheduled scuttling, and to be prepared to travel in a hurry.

After being scuttled the Tobruk is expected to become a dive attraction in the Great Sandy Marine Park, between Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.


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Source: AAP



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