First section of 'MSC Rena' sinks
January 12, 2012
The stern section which broke off the containership Rena, stranded on the Astrolabe Reef, has now sunk off New Zealand’s North Island.
Heavy seas pounded the vessel at the weekend, splitting it in two. The bow section remains on the reef where it has been since 5 October.
The Liberian-flagged ship grounded on the reef about 22km from Tauranga Harbour, spilling hundreds of tonnes of oil that fouled the beaches of the Bay of Plenty, causing what government agency Maritime New Zealand called the country’s worst environmental disaster.
Some oil, wood debris and two containers were dislodged from the stern section as it went down. One container sank, the other floated and was taken in tow by a tug.
Local reports said the National Response Team had been mobilised and booms would be placed to prevent as much oil as possible from reaching the coast.
Heavy weather and rough seas at the reef had not allowed salvors to board the stern section. When possible, divers will inspect the hull and assess salvage possibilities.
Incident response corporation Braemar Howells has identified 49 containers either floating or beached since the Rena split apart.
Of those, around 25 are beached as far as 60km from the ship, and more than 20 containers have washed up on a nearby island.
The containers are loaded with timber, paper, plastics and milk powder, but none contains hazardous goods, said Braemar Howells.
The ship’s captain and second officer, both Philippine nationals, have been charged with operating a vessel in a dangerous manner and releasing toxic substances. They also face charges of attempting to pervert justice by allegedly altering documents after the grounding.
They have been released on bail until 29 February.
Courtesy of IFW
