The Geo Ocean is reportedly surveying the area around the Muros.

Eastern Daily Press: The Marine Traffic website shows the Muros (green diamond) aground around eight miles off the coast of Happisburgh. Picture: MARINETRAFFIC.COM/ROB OOSTDIJKThe Marine Traffic website shows the Muros (green diamond) aground around eight miles off the coast of Happisburgh. Picture: MARINETRAFFIC.COM/ROB OOSTDIJK (Image: MARINETRAFFIC.COM)

A safety ship is on standby close to the cargo vessel which remains grounded off the north Norfolk coast for a fourth day.

The Geo Ocean is believed to have joined a Dutch registered vessel, Gemini, in surveying the area around the Muros which was on course from Tees, UK, to Rochefort, France, when it ran into difficulty eight miles from shore, near Happisburgh, in the early hours of Saturday morning, around 3am.

The Coastguard yesterday revealed talks are ongoing over how to save the stricken vessel and its nine crew but no further updates have been available.

It is understood the Muros became lodged on a sandbank in an area known as the Haisbro Sand - which has previously claimed countless vessels and lives - after it drifted out of the shipping lane. Mechanical failure has been blamed.

The 89 metre Spanish vessel did not suffer any reported damage during the grounding and there was no oil leak following an inspection.

However, attempts to refloat the Muros, with the support of a tug, at high tide have so far failed.

A spokesperson for Happisburgh Coast Watch said: 'Our Watch Volunteers are currently closely observing proceedings, visually and with radar, regarding the grounded vessel Muros, still stranded on the Haisbro Sands.

'The Haisbro Sands are a sandbank around 10 miles long and about one mile wide, running parallel to the north Norfolk coast, directly opposite our look-out.'