22/01/2007

Ship beached off Dorset coast being examined

It is hoped that pumping of the 3,500 tonnes of oil on board the stranded cargo ship on the Devon coast can begin later today.

The MSC Napoli has already leaked around 200 tonnes of heavy fuel oil into the sea.

The operation to remove the oil from the ship could take up to a week and two ships are standing by to receive the fuel oil cargo, which has to be heated before it can be removed.

The ship suffered structural damage in Thursday's storms and was deliberately beached on Brascombe Bay to avoid it sinking in deeper water.

However, 200 tonnes of oil, believed to have leaked from the ship's engine room, has caused an oil slick five miles long.

The container vessel is listing on the strand and has lost around 200 of its containers into the sea.

A few are said to contain dangerous but "low risk" substances such as battery acid.

It is reported that some containers have been removed from the scene by opportunist "salvagers" but many are thought to have sunk or been washed out to sea.

Police have issued a warning that it is on offence to keep or remove items from a wreck site.

(SP/EF)

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