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Trucks slip off stricken ferry
TRUCKS have slipped from the stricken ferry Riverdance sending more of the vessel's cargo into the sea.
Several containers fell off the port side of the 6,000 ton ship yesterday afternoon as it continues to dangerously list on Blackpool beach.
See our gallery of Riverdance pictures: Updated daily
The grounded ship, which has been leaning at up to an 80 degree angle since the weekend, began moving at high tide sending five or six trailers crashing into the water.
Timber, insulating fibreglass and scrap metal is now washing up on the shoreline, just south of Cleveleys.
The trucks fell as cranes arrived on site. Salvage crews are now trying to refloat the ferry.
Riverdance beached after it was hit by a freak wave last Thursday while en route from Northern Ireland to Heysham. Passengers and crew were airlifted to safety.
After yesterday's truck fall, Joanne Groenenburg, from the Maritime and Coastguard Authority, said: "It has not caused any problem for the salvage crew who continue to take equipment on to the ship.
Riverdance archives
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People need to be careful because some of the metal may wash up on the beach. It could be very sharp.
"With all the heavy equipment we are now using it is really important people don't get inside the exclusion zone."
The Gazette revealed yesterday how more than 50 sightseers put themselves in danger after breaking through police cordons to get to the ship on Monday afternoon.
Beach clearing work will continue today as officials warned visitors to the Cleveleys coastline to alert police if they spot shards of aluminium washing up outside the 400-metre exclusion zone.
More Riverdance stories
The Fylde coast - A graveyard for ships
Desperate bid to stabilise stricken ferry
Riverdance video: RNLI lifeboat
It could be here for days
Dramatic airlift from stricken ferry
'They risked their lives for others' safety'
Seagulls celebrate as tasty cargo washed up
Trucks slip off stricken ferry
Business booming as crowds flock in to see ferry
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Weather for Blackpool
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
