A MAJOR announcement on the future of the Hoegh Osaka is due this afternoon.

A press conference has been called by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for 4pm this afternoon at the Grand Harbour Hotel.

The agency, ship owners Hoegh and salvors Svitzers may make an announcement on the plans to free the vessel from Bramble Bank in the Solent.

They have been busy working on a salvage plan to free the vessel from the sand bank.

There has also been speculation about the fate of the ship's 4,600 tonne cargo, which contained Jaguars, Land Rovers and BMW Minis.

For live coverage of the press conference visit dailyecho.co.uk at 4pm.