Oil wreck brings tug to Scilly Isles

A salvage tug was on its way to the Scilly Isles yesterday to remove 90 tonnes of fuel oil from a cargo vessel wrecked on rocks.

Steve Watt, maritime officer for the islands, said the vessel was equipped to drill through the double hull of the 300ft, German owned Cita and transfer the oil - removing the risk of pollution.

The Antiguan-registered container ship was wrecked by the bows, the site of fuel bunkers, in gales last Wednesday, en route from Southampton to Belfast. Three tugs were continuing to round up the estimated 200 containers which broke free from the vessel and drifted towards the Cornish coast, 28 miles away.