Up to 200 tonnes of oil from the ship’s engine room, mixed with water, has leaked already.
But officials said the fuel contained in the vessel’s tanks, which have not been punctured, was their main concern. The operation to remove the heavy fuel oil could last up to a week.
The 62,000-tonne vessel was carrying 2,323 cargo containers, 158 of which are classed as having potentially hazardous contents. The ship suffered structural damage during storms last Thursday and was deliberately beached off the Devon coast to stop it sinking in deep water.
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photo by Gazzat