A Russian cargo ship ran aground off the coast of Cornwall, UK, early on Tuesday morning
ADVERTISEMENTA Russian cargo ship ran aground just off the coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom, early on Tuesday morning.
The UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said 18 Russian crew members were on board the 180-metre bulk carrier when it grounded between the Swanpool and Gyllyngvase beaches.
An operation was underway with a lifeboat standing-by while the "coastguard team have cordoned off the ship," the statement concluded.
Video from the Falmouth Lifeboat service shows the grounded ship just off Gyllyngvase beach.
"Falmouth's all-weather lifeboat is currently on service, launched at 6.30 a.m. to assist with a 16,000 tonne Russian tanker drifted toward Gyllyngvase beach," the lifeboat service said in a statement sent to Euronews.
The UK's Met Office has issued a yellow warning for poor weather conditions in the southwest of England.
According to Marine Traffic satellite data, the grounded ship was the Kuzma Minin, and was en route to the north African Spanish enclave of Ceuta when it drifted off course. The UK's RNLI boats can be seen surrounding the ship.
Social media was flooded with pictures of the carrier from eyewitnesses dotted along the coastline.
The reasons for the grounding are not yet clear.