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| Oil spill is New Zealand's 'worst maritime disaster' | Oil spill is New Zealand's 'worst maritime disaster' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The oil leaking from a stranded cargo ship off New Zealand has become the country's worst maritime environmental disaster, the government has said. | The oil leaking from a stranded cargo ship off New Zealand has become the country's worst maritime environmental disaster, the government has said. |
| Officials say up to 300 tonnes of oil may have leaked, out a total of the 1,700 tonnes on board. | Officials say up to 300 tonnes of oil may have leaked, out a total of the 1,700 tonnes on board. |
| The container ship, the 775ft (236m) Rena, ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef off the port of Tauranga on Wednesday. | The container ship, the 775ft (236m) Rena, ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef off the port of Tauranga on Wednesday. |
| As workers scooped oil from beaches, bad weather halted operations to pump oil off the ship and is due to worsen. | As workers scooped oil from beaches, bad weather halted operations to pump oil off the ship and is due to worsen. |
| "This event has come to a stage where it is New Zealand's most significant maritime environmental disaster," Environment Minister Nick Smith told a news briefing in Tauranga. | "This event has come to a stage where it is New Zealand's most significant maritime environmental disaster," Environment Minister Nick Smith told a news briefing in Tauranga. |
| "It is my view that the tragic events we are seeing unfolding were absolutely inevitable from the point that the Rena ran onto the reef in the early hours of Wednesday morning," he said. | "It is my view that the tragic events we are seeing unfolding were absolutely inevitable from the point that the Rena ran onto the reef in the early hours of Wednesday morning," he said. |
| 'Main tank breached' | 'Main tank breached' |
| Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) told the BBC that by Tuesday evening between 200 and 300 tonnes had leaked from the vessel. | Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) told the BBC that by Tuesday evening between 200 and 300 tonnes had leaked from the vessel. |
| An MNZ spokesman told the New Zealand Herald that oil was leaking from a main tank on the Rena and moving south-west towards Mt Maunganui, next to the port of Tauranga, on New Zealand's North Island. | An MNZ spokesman told the New Zealand Herald that oil was leaking from a main tank on the Rena and moving south-west towards Mt Maunganui, next to the port of Tauranga, on New Zealand's North Island. |
| "One of the main tanks has been breached. It is very significant in the scheme of things," the spokesman said. | "One of the main tanks has been breached. It is very significant in the scheme of things," the spokesman said. |
| By comparison with an oil tanker, the amount of oil on board the Rena is small. Its total consignment is believed to be 1,700 tonnes, and operations to pump what remains out of the tanks are ongoing. | By comparison with an oil tanker, the amount of oil on board the Rena is small. Its total consignment is believed to be 1,700 tonnes, and operations to pump what remains out of the tanks are ongoing. |
| In contrast, the Prestige tanker wrecked on the Galician coast in 2002 leaked an estimated 76,000 tonnes. | In contrast, the Prestige tanker wrecked on the Galician coast in 2002 leaked an estimated 76,000 tonnes. |
| Nevertheless, even a small amount of oil can affect wildlife if it comes ashore in the wrong place. The Bay of Plenty, named by Capt James Cook for the fecundity of the land and the generosity of its people, is home to colonies of birds such as penguins and shags, while frequent visitors include dolphins, porpoises and whales. | Nevertheless, even a small amount of oil can affect wildlife if it comes ashore in the wrong place. The Bay of Plenty, named by Capt James Cook for the fecundity of the land and the generosity of its people, is home to colonies of birds such as penguins and shags, while frequent visitors include dolphins, porpoises and whales. |
| It is also a key tourist site; and with New Zealand hosting the rugby union World Cup, hotels are fuller than usual, ensuring that clean-up operations take place in full public view. | It is also a key tourist site; and with New Zealand hosting the rugby union World Cup, hotels are fuller than usual, ensuring that clean-up operations take place in full public view. |
| New Zealanders take conservation more seriously than people in many other countries, and already oiled birds are being cleaned and restored. | New Zealanders take conservation more seriously than people in many other countries, and already oiled birds are being cleaned and restored. |
| The authorities are asking questions of the Rena's captain as to how he came to crash into a well-known reef. In time, they may raise familiar questions over the flags of convenience system that effectively allows international shipping to operate without a host government having to take responsibility. | The authorities are asking questions of the Rena's captain as to how he came to crash into a well-known reef. In time, they may raise familiar questions over the flags of convenience system that effectively allows international shipping to operate without a host government having to take responsibility. |
| The MNZ statement said the ship was intact but was moving around in the heavy seas. | The MNZ statement said the ship was intact but was moving around in the heavy seas. |
| There have been fears the bad weather might break up the ship, leaking all of the 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil the ship is believed to be carrying and spilling its containers into the sea. | There have been fears the bad weather might break up the ship, leaking all of the 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil the ship is believed to be carrying and spilling its containers into the sea. |
| The bad weather is expected to worsen over the next 24-48 hours. | The bad weather is expected to worsen over the next 24-48 hours. |
| The remaining ship's crew have been taken off the Rena. The vessel gave the mayday signal, officials said as a precaution, to speed up the crew's removal. | The remaining ship's crew have been taken off the Rena. The vessel gave the mayday signal, officials said as a precaution, to speed up the crew's removal. |
| The ship was in a more stable position than it had been, MNZ said, listing from 3-6 degrees instead of the previous 11 degrees, as rock underneath the its bow had been ground down. | The ship was in a more stable position than it had been, MNZ said, listing from 3-6 degrees instead of the previous 11 degrees, as rock underneath the its bow had been ground down. |
| Clumps of heavy oil have been washing up on the beaches of Mt Maunganui and the nearby community of Papamoa. | Clumps of heavy oil have been washing up on the beaches of Mt Maunganui and the nearby community of Papamoa. |
| MNZ said oil was expected to enter Tauranga port and reach beaches south to Maketu. | MNZ said oil was expected to enter Tauranga port and reach beaches south to Maketu. |
| MNZ head Catherine Taylor said containing the oil would be difficult, given the Rena's position on a reef and the weather battering the region. | MNZ head Catherine Taylor said containing the oil would be difficult, given the Rena's position on a reef and the weather battering the region. |
| Swells of up to 4m are making the use of oil dispersants difficult. | Swells of up to 4m are making the use of oil dispersants difficult. |
| Once the weather has calmed enough to resume transferring the oil off the ship, the containers will be removed and then the Rena can be moved off the reef. | Once the weather has calmed enough to resume transferring the oil off the ship, the containers will be removed and then the Rena can be moved off the reef. |
| A tanker offloading the oil had to return to port for minor repairs. Strong seas meant the tanker would not have been able to resume operations anyway, officials said. | A tanker offloading the oil had to return to port for minor repairs. Strong seas meant the tanker would not have been able to resume operations anyway, officials said. |
| Officials have closed the affected beaches and residents close to vulnerable coastlines have been told to stay away from the shore and not touch the heavy globs of oil. | Officials have closed the affected beaches and residents close to vulnerable coastlines have been told to stay away from the shore and not touch the heavy globs of oil. |
| About 200 people are involved in the salvage operation, while 300 military personnel are on stand-by to clean up beaches. | About 200 people are involved in the salvage operation, while 300 military personnel are on stand-by to clean up beaches. |
| MNZ head Catherine Taylor told the BBC it would take several weeks to clean up the shoreline. | MNZ head Catherine Taylor told the BBC it would take several weeks to clean up the shoreline. |
| The area's long, sandy beaches are popular with tourists and surfers. Conservationists have warned the oil spill poses a huge threat to the region's abundant wildlife. | The area's long, sandy beaches are popular with tourists and surfers. Conservationists have warned the oil spill poses a huge threat to the region's abundant wildlife. |
| "There are thousands of gannets and petrels and shearwaters in the area and hundreds of blue penguins... And we've got dotterels and oyster catchers nesting on the sandy beaches," WWF spokesman Bob Zuur told the BBC. | "There are thousands of gannets and petrels and shearwaters in the area and hundreds of blue penguins... And we've got dotterels and oyster catchers nesting on the sandy beaches," WWF spokesman Bob Zuur told the BBC. |
| "This oil represents potentially a huge tragedy for the wildlife of the area." | "This oil represents potentially a huge tragedy for the wildlife of the area." |
| The owners of the ship, Greece-based Costamare Inc, have not given an explanation for the grounding, but said they were "co-operating fully with local authorities" to minimise any damage. | The owners of the ship, Greece-based Costamare Inc, have not given an explanation for the grounding, but said they were "co-operating fully with local authorities" to minimise any damage. |
| Are you near the port of Tauranga? Have you volunteered for the clean-up operation? You can send us your comments using the form below. | |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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