Napoli link to washed-up oil?

OIL washed up on a Westcountry beach is being tested to see if it came from the wreck of the MSC Napoli.

Black patches on the sand at Sidmouth, East Devon, reignited fears that the remains of the cargo ship grounded off the coastline could still damage the environment.

But East Devon District Council said experts had advised that it was unlikely the spillage had come from the Napoli, which was grounded in January last year to avoid it breaking up at sea.

A council spokesman said: “While the Napoli remains off the East Devon coast, she will always be number one suspect for any oil spillages. However, oil washed ashore can come from many different sources.

“It is fortunately a fairly rare occurrence, thanks to strict enforcement of pollution regulations and a responsible attitude from the majority of ship operators.”

Agencies involved in the Napoli operation helped with the spillage clean-up.

East Devon District Council checked the state of the beach and arranged for warning signs to be positioned at key points.