The rig, which is reportedly being taken to Turkey for scrapping, was getting ready to be loaded aboard the Hawk semi-submersible heavy lift vessel on Friday.

While final preparations for moving the rig were progressing well, according to the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), and “weather conditions were improving by the hour”, this changed later in the day, delaying the rig loading operation in Broad Bay, Isle of Lewis.

MCA