What happens when a huge ship sinks? A step-by-step guide to averting disaster

From the EverGiven blocking the Suez, to the Costa Concordia cruise ship hitting a reef, what exactly do you do when a vessel comes to grief - and how do you prevent catastrophic pollution?At 3:24am in the Atlantic Ocean, a catastrophe unfolds across the moonlit waters. The MS Seascape - a 200-metre, six-storey cargo vessel carrying 4,000 new electric vehicles - is pushed by swells into a coral reef. The ship grinds to a sickening halt, begins listing violently to the side and capsizes on to the reef a few kilometres from port.The coastguard receives the distress call. Helicopters lift the flailing crew members to safety, while support boats unload any cargo that hasn't already tumbled into the sea. It's urgent - lithium ion batteries in electric cars risk exploding and most of the vehicles are stored in the hold. If fire breaks out, the vessel will become a giant pressure cooker. Continue reading...