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Environmental group to appear in court over warship sinking

HMCS Annapolis, a retired five-decade-old destroyer escort vessel stripped of its weapons, rests at Howe Sound.
HMCS Annapolis, a retired five-decade-old destroyer escort vessel stripped of its weapons, rests at Howe Sound. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Barb Roy

An environmental group is expected to be in federal court today in a fight over a former Canadian warship.

Opponents are trying to get an emergency court order, preventing the Artificial Reef Society of BC from moving the former HMCS Annapolis tomorrow.

That’s in preparation for the planned sinking of the vessel on Saturday, north of Horseshoe Bay.

The Save Halkett Bay Marine Park Society is also trying to have that stopped. The society filed court documents last week seeking an injunction to stop the plan to sink the ship. A spokesman for the group said it had a paint sample from the ship tested by an independent laboratory, which found highly toxic compounds.

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But the Artificial Reef Society says it has met all of the regulatory standards.

“Once sunk, the Annapolis will be the most comprehensively-prepared man-made reef anywhere in the world in terms of environmental cleanliness,” said the society in a press release earlier this month. “The Annapolis will provide a unique recreational diving experience for all diver skill levels, and will be a strong tourism draw due to its close proximity to Greater Vancouver.”

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With files from the Canadian Press and Justin McElroy

WATCH: Global BC gets a tour of the HMCS Annapolis before its scheduled sinking.

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