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 30 August 2008 15:07 BST

Police warn Branscombe beachcombers

Monday, 22 Jan 2007 19:56
The MSC Napoli is beached off Branscombe in Lime Bay
Beachcombers removing washed up items from the shipwrecked container ship MSC Napoli have been warned by police that they must report salvaged goods to remain within the law.

Thousands of pounds worth of goods are believed to be lying on the beach in Lyme Bay after the contents of about 70 containers washed up on the shoreline.

Police have said that those who remove goods without registering them risk breaking the law, however. Those removing items from the shore must notify the government's receiver of the wreck of their takings within 28 days.

Meanwhile, off the coast, the listing Napoli itself continues to be the subject of concern as it holds more than 3,500 tonnes of oil.

A sheen of oil from the vessel has spread about 8km away from the Napoli but the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) says it is "breaking up and dissipating".

Some oil has been reported to have come ashore in the Branscombe and Sidmouth areas and the RSPB has been alerted to some oiled birds, although there is no evidence of a spill on the beach.

A barge, chartered from Rotterdam with two large cranes onboard, is heading across the North Sea to rendezvous with the beached Napoli and begin removing fuel off the wreck.

Initial concerns about containers holding hazardous substances have subsided, although it emerged that three of the lost containers did contain toxic materials.

Only 103 containers have been lost overboard, significantly less than the 200 estimated yesterday. Seventy-six of these have been accounted for, the MCA confirmed.

In total the vessel had held 158 containers with hazardous chemicals, out of a total of 2,323.

Earlier this week French and English coastguards rescued the 26 crew members of the 2,394 tonne vessel after they used lifeboats to abandon it 45 miles south-east of Cornwall's Lizard point.

The ship was beached in order to prevent it breaking up and sinking in mid-ocean.End of story


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