Checks follow cargo ship concerns

The Sava Lake container ship had a crew of seven on board

Firefighters have been making regular checks on a container ship in Dover where two crew members were found dead, following concerns about its cargo.

The Latvian-registered Sava Lake moored in Dover on Friday after the deaths were discovered. They were thought to have been caused by a chemical leak.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said it was keeping an eye on the temperature of ferrous metal on board.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency officers detected a heat presence at 1435 GMT.

A spokeswoman for Kent Fire and Rescue Sevice said officers had continued to make periodic checks on the temperature of the Sava Lake's cargo to make sure the ship was safe to sail.

The vessel is expected to leave the Port of Dover on Tuesday.

Kent Police said the ship's cargo was non-hazardous, and posed "no risk".

The ship with a seven-strong crew on board had alerted Dover Coastguard at 1905 GMT on Friday after the deceased, believed to be either Latvian or Russian, were discovered.

Kent Police are conducting a joint investigation on behalf of the coroner with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.