The MSC NAPOLI first encountered heavy weather in the English Channel on 17th January 2007, whereupon she started to shed a number of her containers (which often float, by the way. The vessel was eventually towed into shallow waters and deliberately grounded to avoid total break up, but in the meantime even more containers washed up along the south Devon coast of England. Those who know that part of England will tell you of the centuries old tradition of "wrecking" ships along that piece of coastline, with tales of smugglers and excise men. The MSC NAPOLI gave the opportunity for some to return to their "traditional" pastime, when BMW motorbikes and other 'interesting' cargoes washed up along the beach.
Despite police warnings about taking anything from the washed up cargo being against the law (in which the UK police were actually WRONG, as the Salvage laws in England attest !), some items even appeared on E-bay for sale !!! (This latter action was quickly stopped by the e-bay adminsitrators, as THAT was actually illegal). A person might obtain salvage rights by caring for what they find on a beach, but you certainly can't go simply selling such things until the Receiver of Wrecks permits it!
The photos below are a montage of the cheeky way that this loss will always be remembered by the people of south Devon, in England.
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