1:04pm UK, Tuesday July 20, 2010
Authorities in the US territory of Guam have turned away a ship after thousands of spiders overflowed from its cargo.
One of the spiders from the cargo ship Picture: Port Authority of Guam
Hundreds of large spiders and thousands of smaller ones scurried into the open when dock hands began offloading insulation materials from the ship, the MV Altavia. The cargo was returned to the ship, and the Guam Department of Agriculture turned the vessel away. It was last in a South Korean port.
"When you get this many from this many various sizes, it's definitely an infestation," said the department's director Joseph Torres. Officials said the spider was a type not normally found on Guam and there was concern they could damage the island's environment. "We don't want it here," said Mr Torres.
However, the types of spider were not identified. The ship was carrying housing units and accessories to make a village for up to 18,000 temporary workers. Guam customs officers had cleared the Altavia to unload its cargo but the containers were ordered back on the ship.
