Luno in two following grounding off FranceLuno in two following grounding off France

The general cargo vessel, which was not loaded at the time of the incident, was pushed onto the breakwater in winds of up to 113kph, while drifting after suffering an engine failure. All 12 crew members were safely rescued by helicopter, with injuries limited to one broken nose.

The aft superstructure and accommodation block has now almost fully submerged following the incident, and fuel oil has leaked into the ocean. Local news is reporting that the air smells of fuel oil around the contaminated area.

Authorities are now taking steps to deal with the spill, following an emergency meeting held at 11am local time.