Oly: Divers scour Olympic site s waters

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2000
Oly: Divers scour Olympic site s waters

SYDNEY, Aug 8 AAP - Navy divers scoured the depths of the Parramatta River today to
try to clean up the main waterway to the Olympic site at Homebush Bay.

Up to eight divers worked with Sydney Waterways cranes to remove car wrecks and other
debris from the important transport route.

Head of the diving operation, Lieutenant Max Muller said the operation was a high priority
in the preparations of next month's Games.

"Because this area will be busy with ferries travelling to the Homebush Bay Olympic
Games site, Sydney Waterways have asked for the Navy's help," Lt Muller said today.

The divers used portable side-scan sonar equipment to obtain imagery of the underwater
hazards during a preliminary dive last month.

"There is a team of six divers in the water at the moment which can expand up to eight,"

A RAN spokesman said today.

The cleanup comes ahead of the launch of the first of a fleet of giant yellow water
taxis on Sydney Harbour tomorrow.

The eight water cabs from Auckland are being supplied to Water Taxi Tours in a deal
worth $1 million.

AAP tdw/ah/cjh

KEYWORD: OLY FERRIES

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