Ship Loses Cargo In Rough Seas

British authorities say a Russian-registered ship has lost a large part of its cargo of timber and is listing in rough seas around 14 miles off the south coast of England.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said about 1,500 metric tonnes (nearly 1,700 US tons) of timber was knocked off the deck of the Sinegorsk on Monday morning.

The agency said late on Monday night the ship was escorted into Southampton by a pilot vessel.

Coastguard spokesman Fred Caygill said that a coastguard tug, the Anglian Earl, is guarding the large 'slick' of timber that fell off the vessel to warn other ships to keep their distance.

He said the weather was rough but there was no immediate need for the ship's 25 crew members to evacuate.

The Coastguard predicts the wood will wash ashore near to Dungeness in Kent late on Wednesday or in the Dymchurch area on Thursday morning depending on weather conditions.

Caygill said the ship was heading to Alexandria, Egypt, when it was caught in foul weather.