Brits scavenging spilled cargo
Police patrolled Branscombe beach Monday trying
— with limited success — to keep scavengers away from about 40
containers that had washed ashore.
Marine crews worked Monday to prepare to remove fuel
from a listing container ship that ran aground in a storm, posing a threat to
wildlife and spilling cargo on beaches along southwest England’s World
Heritage coast.
Police patrolled Branscombe beach Monday trying — with limited success — to keep scavengers away from about 40 containers that had washed ashore.
“A couple of hundred people have been on the beach today, taking things away, and there were around the same number last night,” said Constable Steve Spearitt.
“Around 15 BMW motorbikes were carried off the beach last night,” he said.
Authorities warned that the scavengers were defying the law.
Authorities, ship and cargo owners will have a tough time convincing people that insurance regulations overrule traditional maritime law governing flotsam. It’s a right that is centuries old.
Police patrolled Branscombe beach Monday trying — with limited success — to keep scavengers away from about 40 containers that had washed ashore.
“A couple of hundred people have been on the beach today, taking things away, and there were around the same number last night,” said Constable Steve Spearitt.
“Around 15 BMW motorbikes were carried off the beach last night,” he said.
Authorities warned that the scavengers were defying the law.
Authorities, ship and cargo owners will have a tough time convincing people that insurance regulations overrule traditional maritime law governing flotsam. It’s a right that is centuries old.
Posted: Mon - January 22, 2007 at 08:40 AM