An evacuation of the remaining crew on board took place in the evening by the Tobermory Lifeboat after the vessel listed 12 to 15 degrees to port. An over night assessment has found extensive underwater bottom damage which occurred during her grounding. It is suspected that up to nine tanks have been breached. Two of the tanks contained heavy fuel oil, and another contained diesel oil.

All the deck containers with cargo are secure and intact and the hold is dry and the cargo in the hold is also intact. A salvage control unit (SCU) involving representatives of the vessels owners and insurers has been set up at the Tobermory Lifeboat Station chaired by Robin Middleton, Secretary of States Representative in Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP). A further meeting of the SCU was to take place early today (8 May).

The cargo vessel carrying hazardous chemicals ran aground on rocks just off the coast near the Island of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland. The 3,718 tonne vessel was en route from Sweden to Belfast when it grounded just after 5.30am yesterday morning. Six of the eight-man crew was initially evacuated but the master and one other stayed on board the Swedish-registered vessel as it was drained.

No one was hurt in the incident, which caused most damage to the hull when the vessel hit the rocks. Tobermory Lifeboat later placed a boom around the vessel to contain any leakage of diesel, which has caused a light sheen in the water.

A tug has been mobilised from the Humber area and will attend the site Wednesday morning.

Robin Middleton said, " Tonight has really been a holding operation and is about damage assessment. Environmental impact is minimal at the moment, with calm weather preventing the situation from deteriorating.

" The remainder of diesel oil in the ruptured tank has been transferred within the vessel and the integrity of the tanks containing the fuel oil is being assessed.''

" There were 30 tonnes of diesel oil and 130 tonnes of intermediate fuel oil on board, and early assessments have suggested that the vessel will not break in two.