RAY SMUTS ASIDE FROM another technical set-back, this time a malfunctioning giant helicopter, salvage master Godfrey Needham was optimistic on Monday as he declared: “We are coming on very nicely and hope to refloat our ship this week.” He was referring to the 14 921 ton bulk carrier Kiperousa, stuck on a reef off Bhega near Hamburg in the Eastern Cape since July 7. So far around 3 100 tons of giant logs have been removed and the balance of 3 000 will have to wait till the spare part arrives for the broken-down Russian M126 helicopter. The original plan still stands - to take all the wood to East London and have the salvage tug Nikolay Chiker tow the Kiperousa to dry dock in Buffalo City.
