Ship wrecks have always facinated me....here's a more well known wreck. Numerous containers with a wide variety of cargo spilled off the ship and came ashore during a very big storm in England. Looters were able to make off with a lot of cargo (stolen cargo) including BMW motorcycles.
900 ft., 62,000-ton British container ship, M/V Napoli (built 1991), enroute to Le Have and Sines, took on water after developing hole on starboard side in gale-force 9 conditions --in 40ft seas and 70mph winds --as it made its way through the English Channel, 50 miles off the Lizard in Cornwall. The 26 crew abandoned ship without injuries. Two helicopters from RNAS Culdrose airlifted the crew to safety after the vessel made a distres call. M/V Napoli is stable and towing vessel M/V Anglian Princess is on scene
Hundreds of people have made off with valuable hauls from some 40 containers which drifted onto Branscombe Beach. Police have warned them they are breaking the law if they fail to declare taking any of the ship's cargo. The coastguard said it may take a week to pump 3,500 tons of oil from the ship to stop more leaks into the sea. UK Branscombe Police officers have been patrolling the beach to prevent unopened containers from being broken into and have closed all roads leading into the village. They were also handing out forms so people could report what they had taken to the "Receiver of Wreck." This must be done within 28 days, otherwise they are committing an offence.
A couple of hundred people were on the beach Jan. 20 night with the same number again scavenging on Jan 21. Around 50 BMW motorbikes were carried off the beach last night. "It took about 8 to 10 of us to lift each one out. As each one came out the front wheels were put on, then they were taken down to the beach and over the cliffs," one scavenger said. Other products taken away included exhaust pipes, steering wheels & beauty cream.