Search and salvage continues after shipping containers fall overboard in the Solent with some washing up in Selsey - in pictures

16 shipping containers fell from a ship called the Baltic Klipper on Saturday, December 6 at around 6pm near the Nab tower lighthouse off Bembridge. A number of them have been sighted off the shoreline while five of them have washed ashore in Selsey.

HM Coastguard have been leading the search for the remaining containers with the police and fire service assisting with cordoning off the affected beach.

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A statement from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “Currently, five containers lost from the cargo ship BALTIC KLIPPER have washed ashore around Selsey, West Sussex. HM Coastguard alongside West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Sussex Police have put cordons in place and are asking people not to go near the containers.

“Other containers have been sighted adrift off the shoreline and an HM Coastguard helicopter and fixed wing aircraft have been carrying out searches.

“West Sussex County Council has contracted response teams, who will arrive in the morning to start clearing cargo that has come ashore. Further information regarding debris recovery and disposal will be provided by the council in due course.

“All wreck material should be reported to the Receiver of Wreck, however this will not include perishable goods in this incident, and members of the public should comply with the instructions provided by the Council.”

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The majority of the containers contained bananas however two of them were carrying plantain, one was carrying avocadoes and five of them were empty.

The incident caused disruption to shipping movement on the south coast with the P&O Cruises ship MS Iona not leaving Southampton until around Midday on Sunday having been scheduled for departure on Saturday.

Find pictures taken by Solent Sky Services of the shipping containers washed up in Selsey below: