Fuel tanker in trouble in English Channel

The YM Uranus was carrying a cargo of heavy Pygas, a type of gasoline, when it hit a Panamanian bulk container off the Brittany coast overnight.

It was still afloat, but listing badly to port, as of Friday morning.

A French frigate and a tug are close by and engineers are assessing if it can be towed to port without any spillage.

A French helicopter evacuated the crew of 13 to a military base south of Brest, the ship's Glasgow-based operator said.

Peter Bullard from Falmouth Coastguards in the UK said no pollution had been reported.

"There's certainly no imminent threat," he told BBC Radio Cornwall.

Mr Bullard said the UK Coastguards' role at this stage was chiefly to assist their French colleagues.

"But obviously, the environment is of interest to all of us whether it's the French coast or ours," he added.

Heavy Pygas (pyrolysis gasoline), a product of ethylene manufacturing, contains a large amount of the industrial solvent benzene. Kazinform cites BBC. See www.bbc.com.uk for full version