MAIN-A-DIEU - The weather-bomb that shook the Maritimes last Thursday has residents of Cape Breton wondering when the MV Miner's wreck will give in to Mother Nature's violent attacks.
The ship ran aground in September when being towed to Turkey to be scrapped.
Thursday's storm was the third to hit the Maritimes since September. The 110 km winds rocked the wreck against the rocky shore, threatening the weak structure that has been left largely ignored by authorities in Ottawa.
Amanda MacDougall from the Main-a-Dieu Community Development Association says "it has the potential to ruin what is already a very fragile fishing industry in Main-a-Dieu. We've had a lot of support locally, provincially, from our municipality, but we've been more or less ignored by the federal government."
Nova Scotia premier, Darrell Dexter, said the ship's removal would cost an approximate $25-million and work could not begin until the spring.
Transport Canada has removed the wreck from its list of priorities as it deems it safe for the environment.
Mark Eyking, Liberal MP for Sydney-Victoria, says the federal government should dip into the ship source oil pollution fund, an account reserved specifically for marine accidents.
The ship's engine is now fully exposed and the holes in its stern will keep eroding until the wreck is cut to pieces and scrapped for good. Until then, community members promise to keep requesting help from the Harper government.
With files from CTV's Ryan MacDonald.
