Beach clean-up volunteers criticise response delay

Volunteers helping to clean up a beach after 40 containers washed up across Sussex have said the authorities should have responded sooner.

People in Pevensey Bay are still going out daily to sift through shingle and have said plastic foam is breaking up into smaller and smaller pieces because it was not cleared quickly enough.

The containers came from three vessels in December and January, with whole containers and broken fragments found along the coastline, as well as their contents including heaps of tins of milk, chips, onions and bananas.

Wealden District Council said it was working with partners to "monitor and clear the shoreline" and would do so until no debris remained.

"In addition to this extensive and ongoing multi-agency response, we are very grateful to our local community for their fantastic efforts," a spokesperson said.

In January, the council said its priority was to remove the remains of a container from below the high tide line, and prevent further damage to the environment.

One company involved, Seatrade, said it was "closely cooperating" with authorities to salvage 17 containers. NSC Shipping, said it was offering "all necessary assistance" to coastguards.

Lisa Laing, from Pevensey Bay, said she saw a "beautiful" gannet that had died, tangled up in plastic foam and netting.

"The number of fishes that washed up shortly after the disaster was heartbreaking," she said.

She added that the beach was left "covered in onions", which were toxic for dogs.

Nicola Lambert, who lives nearby, said volunteers had been out nearly every day in cold, freezing, rainy weather, picking up plastic foam.

She said it was "breaking up into smaller and smaller pieces because it was not dealt with quickly enough".

Residents have written to Bexhill & Battle MP Kieran Mullan requesting more information on the companies involved, the investigation and steps to ensure it does not happen again.

A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency most containers had now been recovered or were believed to have sunk close to where they were lost.

Fragments were recovered at sea and brought ashore for disposal, he said.

Coastguards had carried out flights to survey waters off the Isle of Wight, Hampshire and Sussex, he added.

He said the owners of the vessels were responsible for recovering the containers and coastguards were monitoring the situation.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said its investigation was ongoing.

A Seatrade spokesperson said: "The company, together with their insurers and an assigned team of clean up contractors, continue to work closely together with local and national authorities to remove debris of the containers that were lost from its managed reefer vessel Baltic Klippe.

"As part of the clean-up operation, a helicopter has been deployed to assist with the removal of debris in areas which are difficult to access by land."

They thanked the "many volunteers that have been working trirelessly in the response to the regretful incident", adding: "From the outset, we have been cooperating closely with the UK authorities, the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and local councils to locate the missing boxes with resources, expertise and assets mobilised on behalf of Seatrade and their insurers."

The company said the British Maritime Accident Investigation Agency had launched a formal investigation into the accident, "to which Seatrade are offering their full cooperation".

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