A ship loaded with sand has broken and sunk at around 11 o'clock this morning on the Dutch river Maas, near Lomm.
The four people and a dog who were on board have jumped into the water and were picked up by a dredger that was near. No-one got injured. The police have said shipping goes on unhindered, but there is oil leaking from the ship.
Oil Spill
Currently steps are taken to contain the oil leaking from the ship's fuel tank. The ship operator has hired a specialised company to clean the gas oil floating on the water. This will be done with a kind of vacuum cleaner. If a thin film of oil still remains, this will be removed with absorption cloths. It is unclear how much oil has leaked, the fuel tank can carry a maximum of 7000 liters of fuel.
The cause of the accident is still unknown and will need further research, the police have said. It is also not known when the ship can be salvaged. A salvage company will have to conduct the salvage.
