The MV Ice Prince was a 328-foot Greek-registered cargo ship which sank in the English Channel on 15 January 2008 at 12:45am, spilling 2,516 tonnes of timber, around 423 tonnes of intermediate fuel oil and 123 tonnes of marine diesel oil.[1][2][3] Twenty crew members were rescued by HM Coastguard helicopter and Brixham lifeboat.[4]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Wood_pile_beside_Cycleway_-_geograph.org.uk_-_750688.jpg/220px-Wood_pile_beside_Cycleway_-_geograph.org.uk_-_750688.jpg)
Timber from the cargo washed ashore along the south coast of England. Beaches along the south coast of England were closed to prevent looters taking away washed-up timber.[5]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Timber_from_the_ship_Ice_Prince_in_Seaford_Bay_-_geograph.org.uk_-_704867.jpg/220px-Timber_from_the_ship_Ice_Prince_in_Seaford_Bay_-_geograph.org.uk_-_704867.jpg)