The English Channel is the world's busiest shipping lane, so goods and wreckage from sunken ships washing up along Britain's south coast is not an uncommon occurrence.
Now scavengers are heading to the beaches of Kent to collect timber that has washed up after a Russian cargo ship got into trouble.
1,500 Imperial tons of timber fell into the sea 14 miles off the East Sussex coast.
The scenes around Broadstairs, Kent had echoes of the large-scale looting when the MSC Napoli ran into trouble off Branscombe, Dorset, in January 2007.
Timber! Looters brave freezing waves to clean up as tide of planks washes ashore
By Dan Newling
23rd January 2009
Daily Mail
It is hardly the glistening gold and silver booty of a sunken pirate ship.
Nonetheless, scavengers flocked to Kent's beaches to collect some of the tens of thousands of planks of wood that washed ashore from a Russian cargo ship.
Despite having issued warnings about not picking up the timber, police failed to prevent locals from illegally taking the wood for themselves.
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People brave freezing waves to remove timber from the beach in Ramsgate, Kent
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The Sinegorsk ship which shed its 1,500-tonne load during rough seas in a major shipping lane, 14 miles off Newhaven, East Sussex
Instead, officers looked on as looters at Ramsgate and Broadstairs helped themselves to as many of the planks as they could carry - and bundled them in waiting vans.
The scenes around Broadstairs had echoes of the large-scale looting when the MSC Napoli ran into trouble off Branscombe, Dorset, in January 2007.
Then, thousands of locals streamed on to the sand to take anything they could lay their hands on - from disposable nappies to motorbikes.
The Russian-registered Sinegorsk ran into rough weather on Monday and shed 1,500 tons of its sawn timber load 14 miles off Newhaven, East Sussex.
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Piles of wooden planks washed up on a beach near Margate in Kent
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... Not that people are listening to the police warnings, as seen by this cheeky loader
The cargo eventually came ashore in the early hours of yesterday.
Under maritime law it is illegal to try to keep the cargo from the Receiver of Wreck - the official whose job it is to return booty to the ship's owners. Offenders can be fined up to £2,500.
Chief Superintendent John Molloy said: 'I would like to remind people that the shoreline can be a dangerous place, particularly with the current poor weather and people could be putting themselves at unnecessary risk by venturing into the sea to salvage the timber.
This cargo remains the property of the owner and to steal it is not only foolhardy, but also a criminal offence.
'Where appropriate, we will also take action against those who create a nuisance, park dangerously or trespass.
'We are not trying to ruin people's fun but the winter coastline is not a place to take risks.'
Helping themselves: Another vehicle is loaded up at Broadstairs
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Tons of wood stretches along the coastline
dailymail.co.uk
Now scavengers are heading to the beaches of Kent to collect timber that has washed up after a Russian cargo ship got into trouble.
1,500 Imperial tons of timber fell into the sea 14 miles off the East Sussex coast.
The scenes around Broadstairs, Kent had echoes of the large-scale looting when the MSC Napoli ran into trouble off Branscombe, Dorset, in January 2007.
Timber! Looters brave freezing waves to clean up as tide of planks washes ashore
By Dan Newling
23rd January 2009
Daily Mail
It is hardly the glistening gold and silver booty of a sunken pirate ship.
Nonetheless, scavengers flocked to Kent's beaches to collect some of the tens of thousands of planks of wood that washed ashore from a Russian cargo ship.
Despite having issued warnings about not picking up the timber, police failed to prevent locals from illegally taking the wood for themselves.
Enlarge
People brave freezing waves to remove timber from the beach in Ramsgate, Kent
Enlarge
The Sinegorsk ship which shed its 1,500-tonne load during rough seas in a major shipping lane, 14 miles off Newhaven, East Sussex
Instead, officers looked on as looters at Ramsgate and Broadstairs helped themselves to as many of the planks as they could carry - and bundled them in waiting vans.
The scenes around Broadstairs had echoes of the large-scale looting when the MSC Napoli ran into trouble off Branscombe, Dorset, in January 2007.
Then, thousands of locals streamed on to the sand to take anything they could lay their hands on - from disposable nappies to motorbikes.
The Russian-registered Sinegorsk ran into rough weather on Monday and shed 1,500 tons of its sawn timber load 14 miles off Newhaven, East Sussex.
Enlarge
Piles of wooden planks washed up on a beach near Margate in Kent
Enlarge
... Not that people are listening to the police warnings, as seen by this cheeky loader
The cargo eventually came ashore in the early hours of yesterday.
Under maritime law it is illegal to try to keep the cargo from the Receiver of Wreck - the official whose job it is to return booty to the ship's owners. Offenders can be fined up to £2,500.
Chief Superintendent John Molloy said: 'I would like to remind people that the shoreline can be a dangerous place, particularly with the current poor weather and people could be putting themselves at unnecessary risk by venturing into the sea to salvage the timber.
This cargo remains the property of the owner and to steal it is not only foolhardy, but also a criminal offence.
'Where appropriate, we will also take action against those who create a nuisance, park dangerously or trespass.
'We are not trying to ruin people's fun but the winter coastline is not a place to take risks.'
Helping themselves: Another vehicle is loaded up at Broadstairs
Enlarge
Tons of wood stretches along the coastline
dailymail.co.uk
