Container ship carrying cars sinks off Frech coast:
Video Credit: MARINE NATIONALE
An Italian container ship carrying 2,000 cars including 37 Porsches sank in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of France.
Grande America, a cargo ship operated by the Italian company Grimaldi Lines, was sailing from Hamburg to Casablanca with 2,000 cars including three dozen Porsches.
It was scheduled to sail to Brazil after docking in Casablanca.
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However, the ship caught fire and sank in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of France.
Thankfully, all 27 crew members aboard have been rescued by the British military.
Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said: ‘HMS Argyll’s swift and selfless response to the very dangerous situation in difficult conditions undoubtedly saved 27 lives. I commend her crew.’
‘This rescue demonstrates that even on the final leg of a challenging nine-month deployment to the Far East, the Royal Navy’s sailors remain vigilant and professional at all times.’
Lieutenant Commander Dave Tetchner, from HMS Argyll, said: ‘It was pretty awful for them – they’d had to fight a fire in dreadful seas.’
‘Every one of them suffered smoke inhalation. Then they faced the prospect of abandoning ship and then their lifeboat failed. It was pretty awful all around and they were shocked.’
‘You see container ships like this every day when you’re sailing around the world. What you do not see is one in flames – it was a dreadful sight.’
French authorities are now cleaning up 2,200 tons of heavy fuel spill caused by the sinking of the ship.
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