Hundreds of tonnes of timber which were washed overboard from a cargo ship in the English Channel has begun to wash up on the Kent coast.

Dover Coastguard said that sawn wood has begun to wash ashore at Pegwell Bay and Ramsgate.

The Russian-registered Sinegorsk shed its 1,500-tonne load in rough seas in the westbound shipping lane, 14 miles off Newhaven, on Monday (see previous news story).

The vessel has berthed in Southampton to allow damage to be assessed and remaining cargo to be secured. Sinegorsk‘s insurers are arranging for contractors to recover any wood washed ashore. A coastguard tug is anchored off Margate and is monitoring the situation.

Any vessels in the area are reminded to keep a sharp lookout.