A Spanish cargo ship broke in two after hitting a dike off the southwestern coast of France today as high winds whipped up the seas along the country's western seaboard, the French maritime authorities said.

Two helicopters were rushed to the scene to rescue a dozen crew members, one of whom was injured, said an official at the town hall in Anglet, near the French border with Spain.

The vessel, called the Luno, was transporting fertiliser and the incident, according to the Anglet town hall official, apparently followed an engine problem after the ship left port. It was not immediately clear what volume of cargo was involved.