Damaged ship leaking oil off British coast
Updated Sun. Jan. 21 2007 11:21 PM ET

Associated Press

LONDON -- A damaged ship grounded off the English coast leaked more
than 200 tons of oil, leaving a five-mile sheen on the surface of the
water and threatening the nearby coastline, officials said Sunday.

Salvage teams battled rough weather to try to secure the stricken ship
after containers of battery acid and other hazardous materials also
slipped off. But their efforts were hampered by gale force winds that
struck the English coast late Saturday.

The MSC Napoli was deliberately run aground in waters close to Sidmouth
in southwest England after it was damaged during a storm Thursday.
Helicopters rescued the 26 crew members in rough seas, 45 miles off
Lizard Point on England's southwest tip.

Britain's Department for Transport said more than 200 containers from
the ship, which was listing at a 30-degree angle, had slid into the
sea. Maritime and Coast Guard spokesman Paul Coley said two containers
contained hazardous materials -- including battery acid and perfume
products -- but they posed "minimal" risk.

BMW motorbikes, car parts and other goods also slid off the ship.

Some of the ship's approximately 3,000 tons of diesel and other fuel
had leaked out through a crack in the vessel's port side, said Robin
Middleton, the government's salvage adviser.

"About (220 tons) of oil has been lost," Coley said. But he added that
no major tanks were believed to have been breached.

Middleton told a news conference that salvage workers would attempt to
stabilize the ship to prevent it from capsizing, pump out the fuel and
remove the containers.

The 16-year-old vessel is registered in London and was last inspected
by the coast guard agency in May 2005, when officials said it met
safety standards.