1:29pm UK, Thursday January 02, 2003

An investigation has started to find out how a second vessel hit the wreck of the car transporter Tricolor in the English Channel.

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The Vicky

The Vicky carring 70,000 tons of highly flamable oil grounded on the submerged Tricolor before floating free on a high tide.

The accident happened despite bouys marking the hazard and a French vessel anchored nearby to warn of the danger.

The Turkish-registered ship was the second to hit the Norwegian Tricolor since it sank after a crash two weeks ago.

An emergency operation to rescue the Turkish-registered ship's crew was launched by French coastguards.

Coastguards said they did not yet know if the Vicky's load of kerosene had leaked, although there was a smell of fuel in the area.

It was also not known if there was any danger of the highly flammable oil on board The Vicky igniting.

Officials said that at the time of the crash there was a moderate to rough sea and visibility was classed as moderate.

The Tricolor was carrying 2,862 BMWs, Volvos and Saabs worth an estimated £30m when it sank off the French port of Dunkirk.

It sank in just 90 minutes after colliding with the container ship Kariba in thick fog.

The Tricolor, which was left lying on its side, was then hit by the Nicola, a 3,000-tonne ship registered in the Dutch Antilles.