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- A large shipment of oranges was making its way to the shore of Algoa Bay on Wednesday afternoon.
- The oranges fell into the sea two weeks ago, when shipping containers fell overboard off the Port of Ngqura due to extreme weather.
- The Nelson Mandela Bay metro has warned that the fruit may be contaminated, and advised residents not to eat it.
Port Elizabeth residents have been warned to steer clear of a large shipment of oranges that were lost in the sea when 22 shipping containers fell overboard a ship anchored off the Port of Ngqura two weeks ago.
The warning, by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, comes as the "potentially contaminated" fruit was reported to be making its way to the shore of Algoa Bay on Wednesday afternoon.
The municipality's disaster management chief Shane Brown said: "The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has been made aware of an MSC container exporting oranges that fell into the sea. The oranges have since moved towards shore in the Algoa Bay region and might change direction. Communities are advised not to eat the fruit as the oranges might not be good for human consumption as they have been in the sea for some time and could be contaminated."
Brown said a service provider had been appointed to remove the containers.
Transnet National Ports Authority spokesperson Sakhiwo Tetyana said 22 containers fell overboard the anchored MSC Palak due to extreme weather conditions on 14 July.
"There were warnings out for high seas and excessive wave heights and strong winds for that period," the SA Weather Service's Port Elizabeth office spokesperson Garth Sampson confirmed.
Tetyana said: "Transnet National Ports Authority's (TNPA) Port of Ngqura can confirm that whilst anchored off the Port of Ngqura, on 14 July 2020, the MSC Palak experienced extreme weather conditions resulting in approximately 22 containers falling overboard.
"All the relevant authorities are busy with salvage operations to retrieve debris and containers. Further investigations as to the actual cause of the incident are currently under way. The shipping movements were summarily suspended immediately after the incident, but the port is now operational."
