A CARGO ship detained at Portland Port for more than eight months set sail yesterday.

The Westwind II passed the safety inspection after months spent under arrest by the Admiralty Marshall.

It was detained due to a damages claim after it ran aground and caused disruption to a nearby mussels and oyster farm.

Around $80,0000 in unpaid wages is owed to five stranded sailors, from Turkey and Georgia, who were told they would not be paid their wages if they were to leave the ship.

A court hearing was told that the ship was to be sold for £500,000 and its stranded crew to be paid from the proceeds.

It has now been renamed the Milano Sky and left Portland Port yesterday afternoon with its new crew heading to Ipswich.

Chief engineer Mustafa Sagtol is the only one of the five original stranded crew still on board the vessel where he will stay to familiarise the new crew.

Charities the Apostleship of the Sea and the Sailors’ Society stepped in to help the men.

Mark Kemmis-Betty, of the Apostleship of the Sea charity said: “The crew are set to get all of their pay and Mr Sagtol will be able to return home once the ship arrives in Ipswich.

“We will miss the guys but glad the Westwind II is finally on the move.”

A coffee morning will be held at 11am on Thursday at St Augustine’s Church Hall in Weymouth to help replenish the funds of the Apostleship of the Sea.