Rena Crew Evacuated, More Oil Released
Authorities have evacuated all the remaining crew on the Rena as weather conditions deteriorates. Four meter swells and 25 knot winds made conditions too dangerous for the crew to stay aboard. Officials have also revised reports on the amount of oil that has been released. Early estimates had 30 to 100 tons of oil being released due to a storage tank bursting. New estimates place the amount of oil released closer to 350 tons. Also, the rate of oil being released has increased. The increase could have been caused by the vessel shifting on the reef or by the heavy swells causing more damage to the hull.
