Blazing ship runs aground

DURBAN -- The blazing Italian Ro-Ro vessel, Jolly Rubino, containing an unknown quantity of class 3 hazardous material, has run aground off Cape St Lucia on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast in adverse weather conditions, salvage company Smit Salvage said last night.

The vessel's position changed dramatically yesterday with the burning vessel gradually drifting away from the coast, but the effect of a 60-mp/h wind apparently overrode the southerly currents and the vessel eventually ran aground about one nautical mile from the Cape St Lucia lighthouse. A salvage plan will be formulated once the team is able to board the ship and inspect it. -- Sapa