A coal transporter ship ran aground on a sand bank while leaving the Indian Ocean port of Richard's Bay on the east coast of South Africa. The MV Smart is loaded with a cargo of coal bound for China, the crew has been removed from the stricken ship. Rough seas have stopped salvage attempts from being carried out, and the coastline is in danger of further pollution from the cargo of coal and remaining fuel oil on the broken ship that lies in shallow water just off the beach at the harbour mouth.