UPDATE: Grounded ship successfully refloated at Littlehampton harbour

The ship was refloated, it’s thought with the help of a tug, at about 2am, shortly before high water.

A spokesman for Solent Coastguard said: “She was successfully refloated with no pollution and no damage.

“She is anchored a mile and a half (2.4km) south of Littlehampton at this time, pending a survey and is expected to berth at Littlehampton this afternoon to unload the cargo.”

The ship, fully laden with gravel, was entering the harbour approaches at about 3pm yesterday when its steering is thought to have failed, and the vessel veered to Starboard, straddling the timber eastern training wall and blocking most of the entrance to Littlehampton.

There were fears that the ship’s back might be broken as the tide went out, leaving nothing to support most of the hull, which jutted above the beach at a steep angle.

Hundreds of people gathered on the beach and the pier to watch the spectacle, with the Shoreham lifeboat, Littlehampton Coastguards and Littlehampton Harbour Board and Arun District Council officials in attendance.

The Mungo had a crew of four and two harbour pilots on board at the time of the incident, but no one was injured.