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| Napoli's cargo salvage bid begins | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| An operation is under way to salvage the remaining containers from the beached cargo ship MSC Napoli, which ran aground off south Devon. | An operation is under way to salvage the remaining containers from the beached cargo ship MSC Napoli, which ran aground off south Devon. |
| Scavengers have been warned by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency that they face arrest if they take goods from the ship that wash up ashore. | Scavengers have been warned by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency that they face arrest if they take goods from the ship that wash up ashore. |
| Salvage teams are continuing to pump out the ship's fuel tanks containing 3,000 tonnes of oil. | Salvage teams are continuing to pump out the ship's fuel tanks containing 3,000 tonnes of oil. |
| Meanwhile, the RSPCA said most of the oil-covered birds it has found may die. | Meanwhile, the RSPCA said most of the oil-covered birds it has found may die. |
| The organisation said the 760 birds in its care covered with oil spilled from the MSC Napoli have "only a slim chance of survival". | The organisation said the 760 birds in its care covered with oil spilled from the MSC Napoli have "only a slim chance of survival". |
| MSC NAPOLI SALVAGE OPERATION The Napoli's containers will be unloaded from the stern first by crane barge Big Foot A second crane on Big Foot will then transfer containers to shuttle barge Boa Barge 21 Shuttle barge will then transfer containers to Portland Harbour, where they will be offloaded Lightering vessel Forth Fisher is positioned on the other side of the ship pumping off its remaining fuel oil A decision will be made over whether to re-float the ship after all the oil and containers have been removed Key fuel tanks and total contents identified by Marine Coastguard Agency on 23 January. Oil is being pumped off at a rate of approx. 30 tonnes per hour | |
| Rupert Griffiths, manager of RSPCA West Hatch, said: "Being covered in oil like this is a life-threatening event for them. It stops them being able to fly or dive for food. | Rupert Griffiths, manager of RSPCA West Hatch, said: "Being covered in oil like this is a life-threatening event for them. It stops them being able to fly or dive for food. |
| "It also reduces their buoyancy. By the time they are washed up on the beach they may be less than two-thirds their original weight and suffering from extreme exhaustion after paddling along way." | "It also reduces their buoyancy. By the time they are washed up on the beach they may be less than two-thirds their original weight and suffering from extreme exhaustion after paddling along way." |
| The birds, which are mainly guillemots, have now been taken to the RSPCA's West Hatch Wildlife Centre near Taunton, Somerset. | The birds, which are mainly guillemots, have now been taken to the RSPCA's West Hatch Wildlife Centre near Taunton, Somerset. |
| It thought that more than 1,000 birds have been rescued since the ship was grounded. | It thought that more than 1,000 birds have been rescued since the ship was grounded. |
| Specialist crane barges | Specialist crane barges |
| A large crane barge will move alongside the Napoli, on Saturday to start the difficult and lengthy job of lifting off the remaining 2,394 containers still on board. | A large crane barge will move alongside the Napoli, on Saturday to start the difficult and lengthy job of lifting off the remaining 2,394 containers still on board. |
| A depot is being set up locally for anyone wanting to return items already taken from the beach. | A depot is being set up locally for anyone wanting to return items already taken from the beach. |
| Meanwhile, two specialist crane barges are sailing from the Netherlands to join the salvage operation. | Meanwhile, two specialist crane barges are sailing from the Netherlands to join the salvage operation. |
| The 200 tonnes of oil which had leaked into the sea has now been treated. | The 200 tonnes of oil which had leaked into the sea has now been treated. |
| But officials said on Friday, it could take another week for all the fuel to be pumped to a second vessel from two of the ship's fuel tanks, which still remain under water. | But officials said on Friday, it could take another week for all the fuel to be pumped to a second vessel from two of the ship's fuel tanks, which still remain under water. |
| The 62,000-tonne MSC Napoli, which was holed in storms on 18 January, was deliberately run aground following "serious structural failure". | The 62,000-tonne MSC Napoli, which was holed in storms on 18 January, was deliberately run aground following "serious structural failure". |
| Hundreds of scavengers descended on the beach at Branscombe after 50 of the ship's containers washed ashore. | Hundreds of scavengers descended on the beach at Branscombe after 50 of the ship's containers washed ashore. |
| The ship had been meant to unload almost half of the containers at South African ports. | The ship had been meant to unload almost half of the containers at South African ports. |