A cruise ship has been forced to delay its departure by a full day after a rather unfortunate incident involving bananas.
P&O Cruises' Iona ship, which holds more than 5,000 passengers, was due to depart from Southampton on Saturday (6 December), heading on a two-week trip to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands, before it was delayed by 24 hours.
The disappointing start came after several shipping containers, mostly containing bananas, fell off a cargo ship near the Nab Tower lighthouse near Bembridge in the Isle of Wight on Saturday evening.
16 containers, eight of which were carrying bananas, two that were full of plantain and one containing avocados, fell overboard from the Baltic Kipper cargo ship, with the HM Coastguard confirming that two of the containers have already washed up in Selsey, West Sussex.
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"HM Coastguard is continuing to work with the relevant authorities after 16 containers went overboard from the cargo ship Baltic Kipper in the Solent on 6 December," they told the Independent in a statement.
The coastguard confirmed they are working with the owners of the cargo ship, who are 'responsible for recovering the containers'.
"Eight of the containers were reported as carrying bananas, two as carrying plantain, one as carrying avocados, and the remaining five as empty," they continued.
"Two containers have come ashore at Selsey, where a cordon has been put in place. Coastguard rescue teams from Selsey and Littlehampton, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Sussex Police are all in attendance."
Fortunately, P&O's Iona cruise ship was able to set sail the following day, meaning passengers only missed one day of their two week holiday.
As the clean up continues, the public is being advised to avoid the area and 'are reminded that all wreck material found in the UK has to be reported to HM Coastguard’s Receiver of Wreck', with anyone who fails to do so within a 28 day period breaking the law.
Anything that washes ashore or is found at sea is considered to be 'wreck' and must be reported under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. According to the law, you should report your finding within 28 days, which can be done on the gov.uk website, and you must not sell, hide or move the wreck without express permission.
Instead, you should hold onto whatever it is until you're told who the legal owner is and occasionally you may receive a salvage award or ownership of the item, so long as it has been reported properly.
LADbible has contacted P&O Cruises and the HM Coastguard for comment.
Topics: Travel, Cruise Ship, UK News
Emma Rosemurgey