A general cargo ship carrying 313 metric tons of fuel oil and 5,258 tons of sawn timber destined for Alexandria in Egypt sank this Tuesday morning in the middle of the English Channel, the United Kingdom's Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) reported.
The 6,400-gross-ton Ice Prince, built in 1990 and registered in Greece, sank at 12:45 a.m. GMT in rough weather about 26 miles off Portland Bill two days after the 20-strong crew abandoned ship. All of the crew were safely rescued soon after. The vessel's stern is now on the bottom of the sea while the bow remains above water, the MCA said.
The coastguard added that its counter pollution aerial surveillance aircraft was going to inspect the site for debris at first light of the day.
Meanwhile, the car carrier City of Sunderland that ran aground Monday morning on a sand bank eight miles off the East Coast of England between Cromer and Great Yarmouth was successfully refloated Monday night with the assistance of two tugs.
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