Five days after a container filled with bananas fell into the water at Southampton, thousands of the fruits are still being washed up beaches in West Sussex, southern England. A total of about 16 containers fell overboard, with others containing avocados also on board.

For residents who been hunting for floating debris among the container wreckage, it has been an unexpected bonus. The containers have been washed up on the shore, many of them broken, after being bat by the waves and high winds.

As of Tuesday, 11 of the 16 containers had become stranded on beaches. The UK Coastguard reported that it sent a helicopter and an aircraft to search for the missing containers.

Police, customs authorities, and the receivers of the wreck have warned beachcombers not to eat bananas or take them home. But locals have help themselves.

Even though the bananas went into the sea green and unripe, they have matured now, despite in the cold.

The bananas have been washed from the beach onto the coastal road because of the heavy rain and high winds in the Selsey area, causing some of road to be slippery.

Shipping at Southampton port has now resumed after delays on Saturday, December 6. However, the port is only open with one lane shipping while authorities continue to search for the containers. P&O Cruises' Iona, which spent the night in Southampton, has now reached its first shortened port of Tener.

On Monday night, the Baltic Klipper was moved to Portsmouth. Images showed even more containers had toppled over on board.

British government members have called for robust action to ensure shipping companies and their insurers cover the cost of the clear-up. Seatrade, which operates the ship, said that its insurer become fully involved in dealing with the matter, while volunteers on the ground are scouring the beach, assisting with the clean-up operation.

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