The stricken Transocean Winner oil rig has been lifted out of the water.
The platform is now standing high and dry on the deck of a ship.
The 33-
It then took several hours for the vessel to rise out of the water with the rig.
The operation stopped when the rig hit and damaged two tall guide poles on the deck but work later resumed.
Supply boat, MV Polar King, provided some respite when the swell affected a crucial part of the positioning operation.
Fine tuning of the rig’s position over the ship was accomplished by securing heavy wires between the platform and the ship.
Poor weather delayed previous loading attempts.
The heavy transport vessel was due to depart on Monday so the race was on to maximise a spell of low wind and favourable seas.
Some of the flotilla of support vessels were released from their duties early with the operation deemed successful earlier in the afternoon.
As he supervised the loading from a boat in the middle of Broad Bay, Hugh Shaw, the UK government's salvage advisor, said: “I am absolutely we have got the rig onto the Hawk.
“I couldn’t have asked for it to come better today.
“It has been very much a team effort with everyone involved. With all the vessels it has been a massive operation.
“I think everyone who served will have the same feeling of joy.”
Mr Shaw added: “Over the next few days we have to secure the rig to the deck of the Hawk itself,” for its voyage to Malta to be stripped down before sent to the breakers yard in Turkey.
The Winner snapped her towline and was blown ashore with 280 tonnes of fuel onboard during severe weather on 8 August.
After being salvaged off rocks, the platform was towed to a temporary anchorage in Broad Bay on the other side of the island.
Around 27 bottom tanks were holed and flooded with seawater during the collision making it too hazardous to continue her tow to a scrap yard in Turkey.
It was only kept afloat by a constant stream of compressed air pumping into her compartments.
Yesterday, its eight seabed anchors were unhooked and four small tugs manoeuvred
the rig a mile or so to where the Norwegian-
Ahead of the exercise the rig’s draft was reduced to eight metres allowing a safe amount of room to play with.
Oil rig high and dry after successful loading operation
7 October 2016
Hugh Shaw, the UK's salvage advisor