On 17 August Alderney Shipping’s small coaster Mungo (1980/664gt) was stranded on the east training wall at the entrance to Littlehampton harbour when arriving with a cargo of aggregates. The Coastguard rescue team, lifeboats from Littlehampton and Shoreham Harbour, and a tug were sent to the scene, but the vessel was refloated unaided on the following tide with no pollution or damage.
The incident was thought to have been caused by a possible failure of her steering gear, but an investigation will be carried out by the MAIB. After being refloated, she was anchored a mile and a half off Littlehampton pending a survey, and later berthed at the port to unload her cargo. She is one of three coasters that serve the Channel Islands, carrying a wide variety of cargoes.
