Hundreds of JLR vehicles thought submerged in beached cargo ship

HUNDREDS of luxury Jaguar Land Rover vehicles are thought to have been submerged when the cargo ship Hoegh Osaka ran aground in the Solent earlier this month.

The 50,000 tonne vessel has now been towed back to Southampton after a pumping operation but the salvage operation is continuing.

Latest reports have suggested that at least two decks of cars were submerged when the ship began to list.

JLR revealed that around 1,200 cars were on-board the ship and that the cargo was destined for the Middle East.

Insurance assessors are on board the ship to see what can be saved but is thought the bulk of the cargo, which is worth anywhere up to £100m, may have to be written off.

Besides the JLR vehicles, the cargo also contained 65 Minis and a £260,000 Rolls-Royce Wraith.

There were also 105 pieces of construction equipment on board manufactured by Staffordshire excavator JCB. It is thought several of the machines may have broken loose when the ship listed and punctured a hole in its hull.