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Pollution watch as ship beaches Pollution watch as ship beaches
(about 1 hour later)
Anti-pollution teams are working to secure a massive ship carrying potentially dangerous chemicals beached off the Devon coast. Coastguards and anti-pollution teams are on alert after a ship carrying potentially dangerous chemicals was beached off the Devon coast.
The MSC Napoli, which was holed in the English Channel on Thursday, is carrying 2,394 containers. The MSC Napoli, which was holed in storms on Thursday, was run aground following "serious structural failure".
About 150 of these hold "hazardous" substances including industrial and agricultural chemicals, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) says. The ship is carrying almost 2,400 containers, about 150 of which are said to hold hazardous chemical substances.
The ship has beached near Branscombe following serious structural failure. Fifty containers were thrown into the sea on Saturday, but it is not thought they contained hazardous goods.
Its 26-man crew was rescued by helicopter on Thursday. Protective boom
Fuel danger The ship's 26-man crew was rescued by helicopter on Thursday after it developed two long gashes on each side just above the water line in stormy weather.
The rescue team is now using the high tide to edge the Napoli closer to shelter whilst weighing it down by pumping in sea water as ballast.
The ship has been surrounded by a 1km boom to protect the sea from any possible pollution.
The sun sets on the MSC Napoli as the salvage operation prepares to get underwayIn picturesThe sun sets on the MSC Napoli as the salvage operation prepares to get underwayIn pictures
Chris Lawson of the Environment Agency told BBC News 24 the priority was to safeguard approximately 3,000 tonnes of fuel on board and pump it out of the vessel over the next "two to three days". The drifting vessel was being towed to Portland Harbour in Dorset for a salvage operation, but the Maritime and Coastguard Agency decided to beach it near Branscombe instead, following the structural failure.
Containers holding the most hazardous substances such as pesticides were in the cargo hold of the boat and there was "very little risk" of them leaking, he said. It is now firmly aground but rolling in storms, an MCA spokesman said.
With winds of up to gale force 9, the MCA scrapped its original plan to take the ship to Portland Harbour in Dorset for salvage because of "serious danger of structural failure". Chris Lawson of the Environment Agency said containers holding the most hazardous substances, such as pesticides, were in the cargo hold of the boat, and there was "very little risk" of them leaking.
Instead the ship's cargo - starting with potentially hazardous materials - would be taken ashore from the ship's current position by salvage crews. The rescue team has been using the high tide to edge the Napoli closer to shelter whilst weighing it down by pumping in sea water as ballast.
The location was selected to "minimise the impact of any spillage" and to enable the salvage work, the MCA's Paul Coley said. The ship has been surrounded by a 1km boom to protect the sea from any possible pollution.
"We made the decision it was better to keep the ship in one piece and to beach the ship and to commence the salvage operation by removing all the pollutants," he added. Mr Lawson said the priority was to safeguard approximately 3,000 tonnes of fuel on board and pump it out of the vessel over the next two to three days.
"The oils will be the first priority, the ship's bunkers, fuel oil, and then the containers which are considered most hazardous first," he added.
How crew were rescued Click here for map How crew were rescued Click here for map
French news agencies reported this week that the vessel was carrying 1,700 tonnes of dangerous materials, including toxins. An MCA spokesman said the environmental sensitivities in the Lyme Bay area had been fully assessed before the decision to run it into the ground.
The ship has also been leaking its diesel fuel since Thursday. The MCA said this had dispersed naturally and was not a pollution risk. The ship's cargo - starting with potentially hazardous materials - will now be taken ashore from the ship's current position by salvage crews.
The Department of Transport's Robin Middleton said he was "very confident" there would be no pollution from the cargo. "The oils will be the first priority, the ship's bunkers, fuel oil, and then the containers which are considered most hazardous first," said the MCA's Paul Coley.
"No dangerous chemicals are near the edge so it is very unlikely they will be swept overboard," he said. The 275m (900ft), 62,000-tonne Napoli is registered in London and owned by the Swiss Mediterranean Shipping Company.
BBC website user Tony Norton sent in this photo of the MSC Napoli in Branscombe The ship has been leaking its diesel fuel since Thursday. The MCA said this had dispersed naturally and was not a pollution risk.
The 275m (900ft) Napoli, registered in London and owned by the Swiss Mediterranean Shipping Company, developed two long gashes on each side just above the water line in stormy weather on Thursday.
With the engine room flooded and the vessel listing badly, the 26-man crew abandoned ship.
Two helicopters from RNAS Culdrose airlifted all the crew in the French co-ordinated rescue.
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