A cargo ship rammed into another freight vessel near the French Mediterranean island of Corsica early Sunday, causing no injuries but causing a leak which officials say is most likely fuel. The Ulysse, operated by the Tunisian operator CTN, struck the Cyprus-based CLS Virgina while it was anchored about 30 kilometres off the northern tip of the island at around 7:30 am, the regional naval authority said.

According to the CTN's published shipping schedule, the Ulysse was travelling from Genoa in Italy to the Tunisian port at Rades near Tunis. The Virginia was not carrying any cargo at the time. "The collision caused considerable damage, with an opening several metres long in the CLS Virginia's hull," the naval authority said, adding that the leaking liquid was spread over "several hundred metres". Officials said they had not yet identified the liquid, but a source close to the inquiry said it was probably leaking "from one of the fuel tanks". The cause of the accident was not yet known, though weather conditions are not thought to have been a factor, with relatively calm seas and good visibility in the area at the time.