A cargo vessel that was loaded with explosives in the UK for Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), developed main engine trouble when about 200 miles off Gibraltar, and ended up being towed to the British dependent territory at the western entrance to the Mediterranean.
"The ship was carrying a mix of ammunition, such as bombs and small arms," said a Gibraltar port spokesman."It loaded explosives in the UK for Jeddah."
On arrival in Gibraltar last Wednesday it was berthed in GibDock repair yard within the port of Gibraltar. It was after an inspection by the Gibraltar fire brigade, that the ship was ordered to be towed out to the eastside anchorage, away from it being close to Gibraltar's highly-populated town area on the western littoral.
Spares arrived on Saturday but the ship was not repaired in Gibraltar for reasons unknown.
Instead, the Danish-flag 'Danica Brown', of 997 gross tons, left Gibraltar late Sunday and was being towed Monday into the Mediterranean "to an undisclosed destination," said official source.
On its way down to the Mediterranean from the UK, the ship also called at Cherbourg and was scheduled to called at Algiers.
Meanwhile, a vessel tracking system reported late today that the ship appeared to have made an about-turn, and was being towed towards the Strait of Gibraltar.
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