Lost containers scatter snacks along shoreline
Thousands of uncooked potato chips have washed up along the East Sussex coastline, baffling locals and prompting a large community clean-up effort.
Walkers discovered the yellow debris strewn across beaches near Beachy Head earlier this week. The chips are believed to have spilled from shipping containers that fell overboard during rough weather associated with Storm Goretti.
Authorities say at least 20 containers were lost from two separate vessels off the Isle of Wight. Tidal currents carried the cargo to shore, with bags of chips, polystyrene, onions, disposable face masks and other items washing up near Eastbourne.
Beach walker Joel Bonnici, who had been hiking to a seal colony at Falling Sands, said the scene initially looked like sand from a distance. “In some areas the chips were two-and-a-half feet deep,” he said, adding that he and his partner spent hours clearing debris alongside other volunteers after a local community call-out.
Three containers later washed up at Seaford, while another was recovered near Littlehampton, according to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). A fixed-wing aircraft has been deployed to monitor the coastline for remaining containers and help determine their origin.
Containers have so far been reported at Selsey, Eastbourne, Newhaven, Rustington, Rottingdean and Beachy Head.
East Sussex County Council urged visitors to take extra care and to keep dogs on leads, warning that some washed-up food items may be harmful. Members of the public are encouraged to contact their district or borough council to report new debris or check whether volunteer assistance is needed.
