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Report to criticise cargo looting 'Confusion' led to Napoli looting
(about 4 hours later)
A report into the beaching of the MSC Napoli cargo ship off Devon exactly two years ago is expected to criticise the way its aftermath was handled. The "looting mayhem" which followed the beaching of the MSC Napoli off the coast of Devon could have been avoided, a public inquiry has found.
After the grounding of the 62,000-tonne vessel in January 2007 containers washed ashore at Branscombe beach. The Napoli Inquiry recommended the creation of an "all-powerful commander" to deal with future incidents.
After the grounding of the vessel in January 2007 about 50 containers washed ashore at Branscombe beach.
Thousands of people rushed to scavenge the contents before the area was eventually sealed off by police.Thousands of people rushed to scavenge the contents before the area was eventually sealed off by police.
The Napoli Inquiry Chairman, Professor Ian Mercer CBE, will announce its findings in full later. The chaos that the world saw at Branscombe, need never happen again Professor Ian Mercer, inquiry chairman
Items washed up at Branscombe ranged from disposable nappies to motorbikes. It will be the scenes of the looting mayhem that will last in people's memories Professor Ian Mercer, inquiry chairman Professor Ian Mercer, the inquiry chairman, said: "Two things matter most.
Professor Mercer said: "Sadly it will be the scenes and reports of the looting mayhem played out on the beach at Branscombe in east Devon that will last in people's memories, rather than the helicopter rescue crew, or the skill of the salvers who towed the MSC Napoli to a safer haven. "The chaos that the world saw at Branscombe, need never happen again if from minute one of day one of the coastal approach of the casualty there is a single all-powerful commander on shore."
"This committee's report aims to help authorities improve their emergency plans to be better prepared for such incidents again in future." The commander role, likely to be assumed by the local police chief constable, would be equivalent to that of the existing Secretary of State's Representative for Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP) at sea.
The inquiry is expected to call for a new system to "command and control" land operations in major emergencies caused by shipwrecks and pollution. Prof Mercer said the police felt "powerless to intervene" when people began looting items ranging from disposable nappies, to motorbikes, from the beach.
Officers had been told that people could remove items from the beach as long as they reported their salvage within 28 days.
He said the creation of the new SOSREP on shore role (SOSREPOS) would avoid any future confusion about the law "the likes of which led to the looting mayhem experienced in Branscombe".
Prof Mercer also called on the Government to reimburse the costs of handling the aftermath of an incident.
Salvage operationSalvage operation
The MSC Napoli was en route from Antwerp to South Africa and was carrying 2,400 containers and 3,664 tonnes of fuel oil and marine diesel when its hull was cracked during a storm off Cornwall. Devon County Council spent £44,000 on the clean-up while Devon and Cornwall Police estimated they spent more than £320,000 on the operation.
Amid fears the English Channel could be polluted if the ship broke up at sea, it was decided to deliberately ground it off the Dorset and Devon World Heritage Coast. The committee also found that booms to prevent oil from spreading at sea were inadequate for the "predictable" weather conditions.
Since then work has been under way to salvage the wreck. The MSC Napoli was carrying 2,400 containers and 3,664 tonnes of fuel oil and marine diesel when its hull cracked during a storm off Cornwall.
The hull has already been removed but work to lift the 3,800-tonne stern section will get under way in June and is expected to take two months to complete. It was decided to deliberately ground it off the Dorset and Devon World Heritage Coast amid fears it could break-up at sea.
The estimated cost of the total salvage operation is thought to be in the region of £50m. Work to salvage the wreck is expected to be completed in August .