Life's A Beach For Russian Crew As Ship Runs Aground Off England

A Russian cargo ship with 18 crew members on board has run aground near Falmouth off the coast of Cornwall in southwestern England following bad weather, British naval authorities say.

The 180-meter-long, 15,000-ton Kuzma Minin "dragged her anchor and grounded" in strong winds on the western part of the port entrance between Swanpool and Gyllyngvase beaches early on December 18, a spokeswoman for Britain's Maritime and Coast Guard Agency said.

She says the ship carried no cargo and there were no reports of pollution.

Tugs will be attached to the vessel and as the tide rises "the plan is to refloat the vessel."

The Kuzma Minin was heading toward Spain when it unexpectedly changed its course, apparently due to a malfunction, Sergei Fishov, a coordinator for the International Transport Workers' Federation, told Russian news agencies.

The vessel was "dangerously close" to a nearby beach, according to the Daily Mirror, a British newspaper.

State-run Russian news agency TASS, quoting unnamed Russian sources, said the crew is under no threat.

A lifeboat is standing by and the Falmouth Coast Guard Rescue Team has cordoned off the area around the ship.