WATCH: Fancy a free fridge? Bizarre rescue operation continues after dozens of units fall into the sea off the coast of Spain

A SURREAL clean-up operation is underway off the southern coast of Spain.

Dozens of white refrigerators and several cargo containers have been spotted floating in the Strait of Gibraltar and Gulf of Cadiz.

The bizarre sightings stem from an incident involving the MSC Houston V, a massive cargo ship that lost between 15 and 20 containers during rough seas caused by Storm Martinho near Cape São Vicente, Portugal, on March 20. 

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Forced to divert to the port of Vigo, the ship offloaded to reposition cargo after suffering a major shift during the storm.

More than two weeks later, the ocean began giving up its spoils. 

Since last weekend, Spanish Maritime Rescue teams have been working around the clock to retrieve drifting debris.

So far, 24 refrigerators and three shipping containers have been recovered from the waters, with reports of appliances washing up on beaches including Roche, Zahora, and Bolonia. 

The rescue mission has been coordinated by the Tarifa and Cadiz Maritime Rescue centres and led by the Maritime Authority in Algeciras.

Key vessels involved include the Salvamar Enif, Arcturus, Denebola, Suhail, and the Luz de Mar. 

The Enif collected 11 fridges now housed in Barbate, while the Arcturus delivered 13 more to the port of Tarifa. 

A 40-foot container was first towed by Luz de Mar and finally secured by Denebola in Algeciras. On Monday, the Suhail also brought another container into the port of Cadiz.

Despite the progress, the operation is far from over. 

Maritime Rescue has issued ongoing radio alerts to all vessels in the area, warning them to remain vigilant. 

With maritime traffic dense in the Strait, the drifting debris presents a real hazard to navigation.

Vessels are being urged to report any new sightings immediately to aid further recovery efforts.

But while a logistical headache for port authorities and shippers, the incident has inspired humour on social media. 

In one viral TikTok, a young man off the coast of Conil de la frontera was filmed by his friend, paddling on a fridge as if it were a surfboard.

Environmental concerns also remain, with experts warning that fridges could pose pollution risks if they contain unrecycled gases.

For now, Spain’s maritime teams remain on high alert, hoping the hazard doesn’t cause any serious incidents.