in addition to oil, containers and debris from the wreckage are littering the shoreline. Credit: Maritime New Zealand
Swimming is forbidden along the popular holiday spot. Credit: Public Health Dept. NZ
Nearly two miles (3k) of beach have been opened along the Bay of Plenty, as recovery of the M/V Rena oil spill continues into New Zealand’s Labour Weekend.
Traditionally the start of summer, this year’s holiday will see most of the popular coastline closed due to oil and flotsam from the container ship wreckage. The public are warned not to swim in the vicinity, nor eat seafood or shellfish taken from area waters.
Twelve miles offshore, salvage workers continue to pump oil slowly and methodically from the listing vessel, which became lodged on a shallow reef more than two weeks ago. Cold water temperatures (62F, 17C) have affected the viscosity of the oil, which complicates the procedure.
Less than 20 percent of roughly 1,300 tons of oil has been transferred from Rena to the storage ship Awanuia – however workers expect to continue unabated until it is done.
[ See Thousands of Kiwis Volunteer to Clean Beaches as Salvage Teams Poise to Drain Foundering Ship ]
The salvage boat Awanui stands by to take on oil pumped from M/V Rena. Credit: Maritime New Zealand
