A bulk carrier abandoned after it grounded off the coast of South Africa amid severe weather has broken up, authorities said.
The 13,800-dwt Ultra Galaxy (built 2008) has broken into four parts following a renewed bout of bad weather.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority said the vessel had been battered by huge swell waves of up to eight metres every 15 seconds that first saw the accommodation block sheer off before further cracks appeared in the hull.
Salvors had earlier managed to get on board the vessel and remove several lube oil drums and about eight tonnes of fuel from its bunker tanks.
Attempts to contain the oil spill are difficult due to the bad weather, which is expected to continue into Monday, with the massive swell subsiding by Wednesday.
The authorities say an oil spill contingency plan has been initiated, with personnel and volunteers being drafted in to assist with clean-up.
The Ultra Galaxy was en route from Spain to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania when it developed a list off the west coast of South Africa during heavy weather on 8 July. This led to the crew abandoning the ship.
Authorities suggested the vessel’s cargo of ammonium nitrate fertiliser may have begun to liquefy, causing the list.
The seas off South Africa have been hit with severe weather in recent weeks. Container traffic, which is largely being rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea and the risk of Houthi attacks, has been particularly affected.
