The French warship Le Clemenceau, due for dismantling at a Gujarat shipyard, contains almost twice as much asbestos as the French government had previously suggested, a media report said on Monday, quoting a leaked note.

Admiral Alain Oudot, the chief of staff of the French navy, had said last week that the vessel carried 45 tonnes of asbestos, banned in France since 1997.

However, now a leaked note suggests that it actually put the figure at 75 tonnes, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The imminent arrival of Clemenceau had provoked protests in India, with environmental groups warning that it will pollute waters and pose a health hazard to workers at the Alang shipbreaking yard in Gujarat.

The Supreme Court of India had barred the vessel from entering Indian waters until it had reached a decision whether to allow its dismantling in the country.

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