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| Mystery as Canadian houseboat washes up on Irish Beach | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A houseboat built believed to have been built by an environmentalist in Canada has washed up on an Irish beach. The vessel is thought to have drifted across the Atlantic, and was spotted as late as September in Portugal Cove-St Philip's in Newfoundland. | |
| The coastguard was alerted by a member of the public who spotted the caravan-sized structure floating on the coast. | The coastguard was alerted by a member of the public who spotted the caravan-sized structure floating on the coast. |
| The boat is believed to have been built by eco-adventurer Rick Small, from Thunder Bay, Canada. | The boat is believed to have been built by eco-adventurer Rick Small, from Thunder Bay, Canada. |
| Inside the the vessel there is a note that reads: "I, Rick Small, donate this structure to a homeless youth to give them a better life that Newfoundlanders choose not to do! No rent, no mortgage, no hydro". | Inside the the vessel there is a note that reads: "I, Rick Small, donate this structure to a homeless youth to give them a better life that Newfoundlanders choose not to do! No rent, no mortgage, no hydro". |
| Mr Small gained attention in his native country after previously fitting out a three-wheeled bike with solar panels, which powered him across 7,000 km of Canada. | Mr Small gained attention in his native country after previously fitting out a three-wheeled bike with solar panels, which powered him across 7,000 km of Canada. |
| Michael Hurst, an officer in charge of the Ballyglass Coast guard in County Mayo, was tasked with securing the unusual vessel. | Michael Hurst, an officer in charge of the Ballyglass Coast guard in County Mayo, was tasked with securing the unusual vessel. |
| Describing the out-of-the-ordinary rescue mission, he said: "The shape, itself, is very unusual, because of the size of it. I initially thought it might be a caravan." | |
| After checking the vessel had nobody on board, his team secured it from drifting back out and contacted the local council and customs service. | After checking the vessel had nobody on board, his team secured it from drifting back out and contacted the local council and customs service. |
| Mr Hurst described the insides of the vessel as "habitable" and believes it was fitted with an electric motor to run off the solar panels on the houseboat's roof. | Mr Hurst described the insides of the vessel as "habitable" and believes it was fitted with an electric motor to run off the solar panels on the houseboat's roof. |
| The vessel has now been removed by the local council authority. | The vessel has now been removed by the local council authority. |
| Samantha Arden from Conception Bay, Newfoundland saw the abandoned vessel in Portugal Cove at the end of July where it is believed it drifted from across the Atlantic. |