Nearly 70 shipping containers fell off a cargo ship into the water at the Port of Long Beach, reports NBC News.

The incident occurred around 9am when containers stacked on the Mississippi cargo ship toppled into the harbour. Port officials said it was unclear what the containers held.

Some containers landed on a clean air barge connected to the vessel. Shoes, boxes and other items were seen floating near the port's Pier G, according to the US Coast Guard.

The Mississippi had arrived earlier that day from China. Port of Long Beach spokesman Art Marroquin said cargo operations at the pier were temporarily suspended while responders worked to secure the containers.

The Coast Guard established a 500-yard safety zone around the ship. Crews used high-pressure water to prevent cargo from drifting out to sea. Authorities are investigating the cause of the mishap.

The Port of Long Beach is a key US gateway for Pacific trade and handled over 9.6 million container units in 2024, its busiest year on record.