News

A large container ship has run aground in the English Channel south of Dover today (2 January), coastguards report.

The German-registered "LT Cortesia" became stuck on the Varne-bank, a large underwater sand bank about nine miles (15 km) south of the English port, said the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The 90,000-tonne vessel was travelling from the Thames estuary westbound towards the Atlantic Ocean when it ran aground around 5:00 am , it said in a statement.

"The vessel has 27 people on board who are all uninjured. Crew members are checking for damage on board but the cargo, of which some is reported as 'hazardous' is said to be secure and early indications are that the vessel is watertight," said the agency.

"There is no reported pollution from the vessel," it said, adding that a tug was on the scene to assess the damage and possibilities for salvaging the ship.