Bad weather has battered much of Italy, sinking a cargo ship off the north-west coast after strong winds drove it into a breakwater. The boat’s 13 crew are safe, but authorities fear more than 14,000 litres (3,000 gallons) of oil could leak from the ship’s tanks. The Georgia-registered bulk cement carrier Margaret dragged its anchor in high winds, hit a pier and sank in shallow water just off the commercial port of La Spezia "The situation is for the moment under control, our vigilance is at maximum level and anti-pollution measures were rapidly activated," Environment Minister Altero Matteoli said.