French maritime authorities have confirmed that a foreign-flagged containership and a local fishing vessel collided off the country's western coast on Wednesday, August 10.
The Hapag-Lloyd-operated, Marshall Islands-flagged Ain Snan Express was en route to Algeciras, Spain, when it collided with the outbound fishing vessel Corail at around 01:30 local time on Wednesday.
Local media reports say the smaller fishing vessel had attempted to manoeuvre out of the way of another approaching cargo ship but instead struck Ain Snan Express.
Both vessels suffered damage from the impact. The containership sustained a six-metre gash just above the waterline while Corail ended up with a severely damaged bow, which the owner said would take between three and four weeks to repair.
The containership is scheduled to make a repair stop in Gibraltar before resuming its original voyage. The fishing vessel meanwhile proceeded to the port of Lorient under its own power.
No injuries have been reported on either vessel.
The Lorient branch of the country's Maritime Gendarmerie police force has begun an investigation into the mishap.
