Container ship bound for SA, wrecked and scavenged: Flotsem and Getsome

The British container ship “Napoli” bound for South Africa was intentionally grounded to prevent breaking up in deep water after it was damaged during last week’s storms.

Carrying over 2000 containers, 100 of them have washed up on Branscombe beach in SW England carrying BMW motorbikes, nappies and personal effects worth millions of clams. Also among the wreckage were hundreds of frech oak, wine barrels destined for Backsberg wine estate.

Scavengers have been toiling day and night sifting through the rubble in an apparent frenzy, with people lighting fires to keep up the search. An enterprising gang brought a tractor to salvage a brand new BMW motorcycle of which 70 have been taken. Authorities are fuming as according to British law it is tantamount to theft.

A Swedish couple’s personal effect and heirlooms worth R2 million, were among the bounty and they watched one of their 7 containers being opened and looted on live TV.

Loot from the Napoli has already surfaced on EBAY, but I think this will end soon, when arrests start happening to reclaim the lost goods.

There is also a large environmental impact caused by the wreck with 200 tons of fuel creating a 8 Kilometer Slick of threatening thousands of Sea birds. 3500 tons of oil are left on the ship, which they are desperately racing to pump out of the listing ship today.