Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / DEVON
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

Tuesday, 25 March 2008, 08:01 GMT

Napoli inquiry goes on the road

Controlled explosion: Pic Kit Woodcock People are being invited to give their views to an inquiry over the grounding of the MSC Napoli off Devon.

Roadshow events are being held in communities close to where part of the wreck remains as part of Devon County Council's inquiry into the incident.

It is 14 months since the ship was deliberately grounded in Lyme Bay. Part of the stern still has to be cleared.

The inquiry roadshow is at Sidmouth and Branscombe on Wednesday, and at Seaton and Beer on Thursday.

Work to remove the Napoli's stern section is expected to start in April.

£50m operation

The vessel was deliberately beached in Lyme Bay, a World Heritage Coast site, in January 2007 after it was damaged in storms, while en-route to South Africa.

In the ensuing £50m salvage operation, nearly 4,000 tonnes of oil was pumped off the ship and more than 2,300 containers were removed.

Thousands of people from across the UK descended on Branscombe beach to scavenge the contents of 50 containers which washed ashore.

The ship was later split in two by controlled explosions and the bow taken to Belfast.

Public disorder

The government has rejected calls for a full public inquiry, but its Marine Accident Investigation Branch is holding an investigation.

A draft report has been circulated to interested parties and a full report is expected next month.

The council's inquiry is considering whether the protected coastline should be a place of refuge for shipping in emergencies.

It is also looking at salvage and public disorder issues.

The council said: "The purpose of the inquiry is to learn lessons to inform local and national contingency plans to minimise the potential for an incident similar to the MSC Napoli reoccurring, and for authorities to be better prepared to minimise any impact of future incidents."




E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
MSC Napoli inquiry gets under way (04 Mar 08 |  Devon )
Napoli inquiry gets green light (05 Feb 08 |  Devon )
Council proposes Napoli inquiry (30 Jan 08 |  Devon )
Napoli leaves Devon out of pocket (18 Jan 08 |  Devon )
What happened to the Branscombe booty? (17 Jan 08 |  Magazine )
Honest Napoli scavenger rewarded (04 Jan 08 |  Devon )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Napoli timeline
Devon County Council
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©