An underwater survey of the bulk carrier Cemfjord, which sank in the Pentland Firth with the loss of eight lives, will start tomorrow.
A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) will be sent down to examine the wreck on the same day a church service will be held to remember the seven Polish men and one Filipino who died when the vessel was overcome.
The Northern Lighthouse Board’s vessel Pharos will start the survey on Sunday if a forecast weather window materialises.
The poor conditions have so far hampered the investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).
It is hoped that the survey will assist in a decision on whether or not to raise the wreck.
In a statement, the MAIB said: “Inspectors will be embarking on the Northern Lighthouse Board vessel Pharos this weekend to take advantage of a forecast lull in the weather on Sunday and Monday to conduct a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) survey of the wreck of the Cypriot-registered cement carrier Cemfjord.
“The survey will be conducted using an ROV operated by salvage experts from the Ministry of Defence’s Salvage and Marine Operations Project Team.”
It is not known whether there will be an operation to retrieve the bodies of the crew iof they are still inside the vessel.
The managing director of the international shipping company that owns the Cemfjord is travelling to Wick to thank volunteers who spent two days searching for survivors of the Cemfjord tragedy.
Kai-Erik Clemmenson, of Brise of Hamburg, will attend the memorial church service accompanied by senior manager Stefan Lindberg and company spokesman Tony Redding.
Sunday’s service in St John’s Church in Wick at 11.30am was organised by two seafaring charities, the Apostleship to the Sea and the Mission to Seafarers.
Prior to that, there will be a meeting for the community at Mackay’s Hotel from 9.30am-11am.
Mr Redding said that a memorial service will be held in Poland on a later date.
He added that the church service was a “chance to thank the emergency services” for their work at the time of the disaster.
The cement carrier sank between Caithness and Orkney at the beginning of the month.
The vessel did not issue a distress signal before it was overcome, and it is thought that bad weather played a part.
A search was only launched after a Northlink ferry discovered the semi-submerged hull in the water a day after the boat’s position was last recorded.