"Grounded ship splits on New Zealand reef" Associated Press, January 09, 2012
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A cargo ship grounded off the New Zealand coast since October has split in two, spilling sea containers and debris and sparking fears of a fresh oil spill, maritime officials said yesterday.
The wreck of the Greek-owned Rena was described as New Zealand’s worst maritime environmental disaster even before the rear section of the ship, lashed by pounding seas, broke away over the weekend.
The ship previously spilled heavy fuel oil that fouled pristine North Island beaches and killed up to 20,000 seabirds, and despite salvage efforts nearly 400 tons of oil remain onboard....
The storm that split the vessel will continue for another three to four days, said a Maritime New Zealand spokesman, Ross Henderson....
Oil has been seen leaking from the broken ship. Alex van Wijngaarden, on-scene commander for the national response team, said oil from the vessel could come ashore around midnight yesterday.
The environment minister, Nick Smith, told reporters that the “risks for the environment are a fraction of what they were in October,’’ though the roughly 385 tons of oil still aboard the ship is about the same amount that leaked from the vessel soon after it ran aground....
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Related: Globe Ignoring New Zealand Oil Spill
I stand corrected, 'eh?
