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Rena: 10 Months Later

Rena: 10 Months Later

 

Photo: Smit and Svitzer

Ten months have past since the container ship Rena went aground on Astrolabe Reef.  The bow section still remains above the surface, but has increased its list from 22 degrees to 32 degrees.   Salvors are still working on removing the wreck of the reef.   Helicopters are lifting 1 to 2 ton cut pieces of the hull to a nearby salvage vessel.  This removal is slated to take some 100 days to complete.   The stern section remains below the surface between 10 to 80 meters deep.    No decision has been made to the final outcome of the stern section.

Pollution

Focus has been on shoreline clean-up work of plastic particulates.   The plastic has been washing up along 38 beaches around Tauranga.   The pollution is spread over a wide area.  Containers are also being removed from the seabed.  By August 2012, some 977 out of 1368 containers have been recovered.   Many containers are being recovered using ROVs (Remote Operated Vehicles) from depths up to 50 meters deep.

 

KCee

KCee

Photo: Barry Harcourt - Stuff.nz.co

The 13.5 meter long  fishing vessel KCee sank off Secretary Island, New Zealand.   The vessel last reported it was bound for Blanket Bay with two men on board.   No additional communication came from the vessel until the emergency beacon was activated.   Authorities dispatched multiple helicopters while local fishing vessels assisted in searching for the two men.  During the search, the part of the bow of the KCee was discovered.  Later, the hull was found partially submerged near the island.   The hull was heavily damaged and shows sign that it had struck an object or grounded.   No further details reported.

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Easy Rider Lost

Easy Rider Lost

The fishing vessel Easy Rider capsized and sank in the Foveaux Strait near Stewart Island, New Zealand.  The vessel with three crew and six passengers was proceeding through the strait in bad weather with heavy rain and four meter swells when it was struck by a rogue wave and capsized.   The three men on deck were thrown into the water while the rest were trapped inside the wheelhouse.   One man was able to hold onto the vessel and climb onto the overturn hull.  For several hours he held on before the Easy Rider sank.  Thrown back into the water, he was able to grab a hold of a floating petrol can.  When the Easy Rider failed to arrive on Stewart Island at the expected time, the alarm was sent out and rescue boats and helicopters were dispatched to the scene.  The sole survivor was found when got the attention of a coast guard vessel some 16 hours since grabbing a hold of the petrol can.   He was taken to hospital later and was treated for hypothermia.  Reports state the vessel was found resting at 40 meters.   Rescuers also recovered four bodies during the search.

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