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Beached ship sheds chemical cargo Beached ship sheds chemical cargo
(about 1 hour later)
Two containers thought to contain hazardous chemicals have been washed overboard from a stricken cargo ship beached off the Devon coast. Two containers of hazardous chemicals have been washed overboard from a stricken cargo ship beached off the Devon coast.
The containers, which are thought to contain battery acid and perfume, fell from the MSC Napoli during storms on Saturday evening. The containers, which are thought to contain battery acid and perfume, fell from the heavily-listing MSC Napoli during a storm on Saturday evening.
Coastguards fear the ship, in Lyme Bay, could capsize "at any time".Coastguards fear the ship, in Lyme Bay, could capsize "at any time".
A five-mile oil slick is heading towards Lyme Regis and seabirds have been affected at nearby Beer Head.A five-mile oil slick is heading towards Lyme Regis and seabirds have been affected at nearby Beer Head.
The oil from the ship's ruptured fuel tanks escaped when booms at the stern of the ship were breached by floating containers in storms on Saturday night. We are in an uncontrolled situation, so we need to stabilise the ship before we can start discharging oil Paul Coley, MCA Two hundreds tonnes of oil have escaped from a ruptured fuel tank on the port side.
href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_stricken_ship/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_stricken_ship/html/1.stm', '1169319297', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;">The sun sets on the MSC Napoli as the salvage operation prepares to get underway href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_stricken_ship/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_stricken_ship/html/1.stm', '1169319297', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures The oil escaped when booms at the stern of the ship were lifted on Saturday night to prevent them being damaged by floating containers in the storm, said the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
Salvagers hope to pump remaining fuel from the ship while coastguards and salvagers are hunting for about 150 containers in the water. Booms have also been placed over river mouths to protect wildlife.
The sun sets on the MSC Napoli as the salvage operation prepares to get underwayIn pictures Salvagers hope to start pumping remaining fuel from the ship on Monday while coastguards and police have found about 40 containers ashore of the 158 washed overboard.
Paul Coley of the MCA said all efforts were being directed at preventing the ship from listing further, by using anchors and weighing the hull down with seawater.
"We are trying to stabilise the ship as much as possible," he said.
"We are in an uncontrolled situation, so we need to stabilise the ship before we can start discharging oil."
Coastguards still hunting the other containers say some may have sunk and others could be as far as six miles out to sea.
Enlarge Image People are being warned not to approach any container they may find but to report it to Portland Coastguard on 01305 760439.
Coastguards say there are 158 containers with 2,800 tonnes of hazardous chemical substances on board, but most of them are in the ship's hold.Coastguards say there are 158 containers with 2,800 tonnes of hazardous chemical substances on board, but most of them are in the ship's hold.
Mark Clark, of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), told BBC News: "She could capsize at any moment, but there's always been a risk that the ship would twist and capsize.Mark Clark, of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), told BBC News: "She could capsize at any moment, but there's always been a risk that the ship would twist and capsize.
"She is currently listing at 35 degrees, which is a very heavy list, but she is not going any further at the moment.""She is currently listing at 35 degrees, which is a very heavy list, but she is not going any further at the moment."
The 26 crew were airlifted to safety after it was holed off Lizard Point, Cornwall, in the English Channel on Thursday.The 26 crew were airlifted to safety after it was holed off Lizard Point, Cornwall, in the English Channel on Thursday.
After the rescue operation had finished the drifting vessel was secured and was being towed to Portland for a salvage operation, but the MCA took the decision to beach it off the coast of Sidmouth following a "serious structural failure".After the rescue operation had finished the drifting vessel was secured and was being towed to Portland for a salvage operation, but the MCA took the decision to beach it off the coast of Sidmouth following a "serious structural failure".
Coastguards are asking people to contact them if they see any containers, but not to touch them. The contact number is 01305 760439.
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