Pellets of oil have reached Mediterranean beaches near Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera ten days after two cargo ships collided north of the island of Corsica, France’s ecology ministry says .

It said those beaches were closed to the public Wednesday and agents were going to be mobilised to collect the oil.

Authorities have also deployed three anti-pollution ships equipped with nets along the coast in the Var region.

The ministry says French and Italian maritime authorities have cleaned up “nearly all” the fuel spill that has spread in the Mediterranean, using a skimmer to suck it up.

A Tunisian cargo ship pierced a hole in the hull of a Cypriot container ship in the collision on October 7, causing the fuel leak.

No-one was injured.