Brazilian cargo ship looted after containers go overboard Published duration 13 August 2017

image copyright SAO PAULO POLICE VIA AFP

Brazilian officials have arrested at least 11 people caught looting containers that had fallen from a cargo ship near the port of Santos.

Local people had gone out in small boats to the floating containers, taking consumer goods including bicycles and clothing.

Port officials said 45 containers had worked loose from the ship's deck.

An investigation is under way to work out the cause of the accident.

Police said the thieves had used small boats to reach the containers and had picked up air-conditioning units, other white goods, clothing, hospital equipment and bags.

They said they had chased down two speed boats loaded with goods.

Local media said the Brazilian-registered ship, the Log-In Pantanal, unloaded 248 containers at the Port of Santos on Thursday and took 341 on board.

The company responsible for the ship said it believed the accident had been caused by bad weather.

Social media videos showed the ship rolling heavily in a high sea swell.

Eyewitnesses told reporters that some of the containers had burst open on impact with the water.

image copyright SAO PAULO POLICE VIA AFP