and Ports officials have offered to help Aquarium experts by loaning them the use of their buoy boat Dragon .

The boat, equipped with cranes, will soon be used to transport the 500-pound Leatherback -- which washed up near Somerset Bridge on Tuesday -- back to sea.

The turtle turned up in Bermuda battered and bruised, tired and missing a front flipper. Aquarium staff have built a huge tank to take care of him in Flatts.

But specialists at New England Aquarium in Boston have warned the Leatherback should not be kept in a tank if he starts swimming again.

Jack Ward, curator of the Bermuda Aquarium, said the turtle was still "lethargic'' and would not hurt himself by banging into the sides of the tank.

But he added: "As soon as he starts to get stronger we will have to release him for his own safety.

"Marine and Ports offered the use of the Dragon so we could get him offshore.

"He's a huge creature and not at all easy to move. The Dragon is ideal because it's fitted with cranes.'' ANIMALS ALS