Damaged tanker sinks in English channel

LONDON - A chemical tanker, severely damaged in a collision with another ship in the Channel between France and Britain, has sunk but its cargo poses no pollution danger, the UK coastguard said today.

The 8131 tonne Ece, carrying phosphoric acid, capsised and sank 30 miles northwest of the island of Guernsey while it was being towed to France by a tug.

The 22 crew members had all been rescued following the collision with the bulk carrier General Grot-Rowecki in the early hours of Tuesday.

The Ece sank in 70 metres of water, a coastguard spokesman said, and a one-mile exclusion zone had been imposed around the area.

French divers who inspected the wreckage on Tuesday found that the hull and cargo were still intact.

"Any released cargo will have only very localised effects," the spokesman said.

A pollution surveillance aircraft has flown over the scene and spotted some oil on the sea surface from the tanker's fuel.

"This is expected to evaporate and disperse," the spokesman said, adding French and British salvage teams would meet to discuss plans for the wreck.

- REUTERS