Vessel leaking sewage and diesel in Southampton Water after sinking (From Daily Echo)
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Vessel leaking sewage and diesel in Southampton Water after sinking
10:50am Friday 20th March 2009 in
A MAJOR recovery operation was underway this morning after a ship began leaking sewage and sank in the Solent.
The vessel - The Humber Star - had four tonnes of red diesel on board and several hundred tonnes of effluent, and sank around 5.30am this morning.
Exactly how much effulent and red diesel has leaked out is not know, but it is not believed to be a huge amount.
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Environment agency, coastguard and port bosses have all been informed and are involved in the operation, just off Victoria Road.
Scores of people are watching the drama from the shoreside in Weston.
Police were notified at around 8.30am and it is believed efforts are under way to salvage the ship which was also carrying diesel.
A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the barge was stationary alongside Woolston jetty when she sunk early this morning.
The 45m vessel, owned by a Cheshire-based shipping firm, was carrying effluent and 800 gallons of red diesel.
The spokesman confirmed red diesel had leaked into Southampton Water and that plastic anti-pollution booms had been deployed to contain the spillage.
"The booms are heavily soaked which would suggest that there was quite a lot of diesel came out. However, it will dispense quickly and we do not believe it will cause hazard to the shoreline."
The MCA, the national response body for marine pollution responses, said it had been alerted at 5.40am. A member of the public dialled 999 at 8.45am to report a disgusting stench wafting across Hythe.
Divers were sent down to inspect the 40-year-old barge by ABP shortly after 9am to inspect the damage and begin the task of retrieving it.
Southern Water, the Environment Agency and the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch, which will examine why the barge sunk, are attending the scene.
Captain Philip Holliday, Southampton harbour master, said: "At about 5.30 this morning the MV Humber Star, which is on charter to Southern Water and carries what is politely called grey water - that means effluent - was alongside the West Jetty on the Itchen and for reasons as yet unknown she sank alongside.
"The stern is sitting on the bottom and she's up at an angle with the bow poking in the air. It is only a few metres of water so the stern is still visible.
"She has been operating in these water for some time - why it has happened now we will find out in time. There was no one onboard at the time it sank."
Mr Holliday also added that there will be an investigation once the vessel has been salvaged.
Can you see the vessel? Send us any pictures or video you may have by click here.
Comments(29)
geordie
says...
11:09am Fri 20 Mar 09
Keith Oftergrass
says...
12:04pm Fri 20 Mar 09
Beer Monster
says...
12:21pm Fri 20 Mar 09
Saint Cope
says...
1:12pm Fri 20 Mar 09
fast-sink
Duncan Disorderly
says...
1:12pm Fri 20 Mar 09
Dialled 999???
Don't panic, Captain Mainwaring!
Nod
says...
1:32pm Fri 20 Mar 09
I hope whoever dialled, at least, is going to get a stern talking too.
Poggered Ressip
says...
2:32pm Fri 20 Mar 09
Duncan Disorderly wrote:Obviously thought some skates were kicking about the area.
"A member of the public dialled 999 at 8.45am to report a disgusting stench wafting across Hythe."
Dialled 999???
Don't panic, Captain Mainwaring!
shilo
says...
4:16pm Fri 20 Mar 09
BITTERNE27
says...
4:41pm Fri 20 Mar 09
normsted
says...
5:18pm Fri 20 Mar 09
666wizard
says...
5:58pm Fri 20 Mar 09
Nod
says...
7:20pm Fri 20 Mar 09
BITTERNE27 wrote:Yes, I'm sure someone reporting a smell at 8:45 am would have been hugely influential when, according to the story, the Maritime and Coastguard agency were aware of the problem 10 minutes after the boat sank.
I am just thankful that someone did call 999 for whatever reason. There could have been people on board - especially as they normally start work at that time if the tides are right.
fatboy
says...
7:54pm Fri 20 Mar 09
ex so'ton
says...
8:00pm Fri 20 Mar 09
Poggered Ressip
says...
8:08pm Fri 20 Mar 09
wellow werdna
says...
8:20pm Fri 20 Mar 09
Poggered Ressip wrote:No, just an old crappy one!
Was it a special kind of ship or just a bog standard one?
Humbug
says...
12:32am Sat 21 Mar 09
Dialled 999???
Don't panic, Captain Mainwaring!
Why are you Poo Pooing this public mined citzen?
stay local
says...
3:08am Sat 21 Mar 09
southy, redbridge says...
10:55am Thu 19 Mar 09
stay local are you that dim, because it fastly looking that way. the arm speical forces, can use any weapon that is made in the world, and will pick each time what is the best weapon to use for each job, and not all of them will be carry the same type weapons there will be a mix. look if you really what to find out go and talk to them, they are often training down here in southampton waters, and the solent mostly in the middle off the night, doing dummy terrorist attacks, you know when they made a call on you, because you find little black boxes with writing on it, saying "your security been compromised" and all your listing is standard arm force issues that can be found in being used in all the uk arm forces.
it was the SBS with their secret air rifles.
Security word " fine idea"
Ben Doone
says...
9:09am Sat 21 Mar 09
Ben Doone
says...
9:10am Sat 21 Mar 09
Finlay
says...
11:25am Sat 21 Mar 09
Get the chavs to the sea and scrub em up with it. They'll smell a lot better than they do now
goard
says...
4:24pm Sat 21 Mar 09
goard
ex so'ton
says...
7:39pm Sun 22 Mar 09
southy
says...
11:50am Mon 23 Mar 09
whats up local point proved again boy you are a very bitter man.
stay local
says...
10:36pm Mon 23 Mar 09
southy wrote:How is your point about the SBE carrying and using air rifles related to the idea of a fourty year old Sh*t barge springing a leak and sinking at its moorings? if you are claiming it is a deliberate sinking then you need to clarify this idea and report it to the authorities.
was not that bad has it sounds, was called out to assist in the operation, the fuel oil was the biggest problem, what sewage did leek out yes it was smelly, but the marine life will be able to cope with it more so the king rag. you might even get a rag population boom in the area in the next after the next winter, the tide was on its way out at the time so alot of it will be pushed down southampton waters. whats up local point proved again boy you are a very bitter man.
As for proving your point please read the other entries from people who have read your posts!
So once more name the air weapons used by either the SBS or the Swiss army,there is not need to go down the it is a secret route because you claim it to be true, you now have to provide the evidence for your claim.
southy
says...
9:22am Tue 24 Mar 09
has what it has to do with it. it dont you bought it up look at your comment you made above your last one.
stay local
says...
1:59pm Tue 24 Mar 09
southy wrote:well actually no I have not as I have asked you to teel me the details of the weapons you say both the Swiss army and the SBS use NOT have for practice! As for the companies they were both pre WW2 and found not to be effective.
stay local you named two companys that makes them for militry use, there are another 13 companys on top of those to that make air rifles for militry use, so you proved the point to your self. see you can do it if you try well i think its more of a case if your interested in it. has what it has to do with it. it dont you bought it up look at your comment you made above your last one.
Yes we know groups such as scout and air cadets have air rifle for plinking practice But you say they are carried on operations and now I have once again asked for evidence of this and you have come up lacking.
So for the forth fifth or sixth time of asking...can you give us the details of the air weapons you claim are carried by the SBS or Swiss army
So the reply should read either
Yes here are the details.......
or
no I made it up to make it more exciting
southy
says...
10:20am Wed 25 Mar 09
you like this security words rest-case
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Bright Spark says...
11:04am Fri 20 Mar 09