Rena disaster: Beaches closed as volunteers clean up - Stuff.co.nz
Beaches polluted with the toxic oil spewing from the stricken container ship Rena are closed to the public as volunteers work on the clean-up.
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The 47,000 tonne cargo ship ran aground on the reef off the coast of Tauranga last Wednesday, spilling oil and containers into the sea.
A container carrying a toxic chemical is among the 88 which have fallen from the stricken ship Rena, and were today coming ashore at Mt Maunganui. Oil has coated stretches of western Bay of Plenty beach and nearby Motiti Island.
Maritime New Zealand today authorised the closure of the beach stretching from Mount Maunganui down to Maketu, including Maketu Estuary, with restricted access to clean up teams in place for the next 24 to 48 hours.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council chairman John Cronin said residents loved their beaches and their frustration was understandable, but the dangers involved in the clean-up should not be underestimated.
Tauranga mayor Stuart Crosby said a limited number of volunteers could be accommodated at the beaches so the teams needed to be coordinated.
More than 1500 volunteers had already registered with Maritime New Zealand, which was the best thing to do, he said.
Volunteers would be trained before beginning a four-hour shift.
The number of containers which have fallen from the ship had today risen to 88, and one of the containers carried toxic ferrosilicon, said Nick Quinn, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) national on-scene commander.
It was not known which one of the containers carried the chemical.
At least four containers had washed ashore on Mt Maunganui beach this morning. MNZ said assessments were underway to decide if the contents of the containers were a hazard. Ferrosilicon is flammable and can react explosively.
Other containers to fall from the ship carried timber, dairy products and animal pelts. Slightly over half - 48 - were empty.
SALVAGE OPERATION RESUMES
Salvors landed on the Rena around 10am this morning, Maritime New Zealand said. They were winched aboard by helicopters.
The finer weather meant the choppers were also able to begin spreading the oil dispersant again this morning.
The crack in the side of the ship had not progressed today, MNZ said.
The ship had been on a 20-degree list this morning.
Oil was drifting ashore in moderate and heavy quantities from Papamoa to Maketu, authorities said. Oil recovery teams were out on the beaches cleaning this up, MNZ said.
Flotsam from the ship was now in Tauranga harbour.
SECOND OFFICER RELEASED ON BAIL
The Rena's navigation officer has been released on bail after appearing in the Tauranga District Court today.
The man was granted interim name suppression for his own safety by Judge Robert Wolff and was due to reappear in court on October 19.
He faces charges under section 65 of the Maritime Act for "operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk".
The hearing was almost identical to that of the Rena's captain, who was granted the same conditions yesterday.
'NOT SMOKE - MILK POWDER'
Fonterra says what looks like smoke billowing from the Rena was probably its milk powder.
The dairy giant had 90 containers of the product on the ship.
Bags of milk powder had probably burst when the containers got damaged, a spokesman said.
"It looks like milk powder to us."
CONTAINERS WASH ASHORE
Containers that washed up on Mt Maunganui beach this morning had unleashed debris including burger patties and animal skins.
Police were stationed at the beach to guard the contents.
Residents stood stunned as the flotsam from the broken containers washed up.
Angel Bay said about 2000 cartons of its partially-cooked beef patties were on the ship, being transported by refrigerated containers.
The beach was littered with the silver packaging and foam, and the padding from the container's walls.
About 50 residents stood on the beach watching the mess wash up.
Further down the beach, near Tay St, animal pelts lay wet and ruined on the sand.
"It's very saddening for the public," police acting sergeant Lee Stringer, a local, said.
"We've had a difficult year with the Pike River mine and the Christchurch quake. Hopefully we can clean it up soon."
Resident Vicky Mackintosh said the beach looked like a scene from a movie.
"It's our doorstep and it seems we won't be swimming for a while.
"It's devastating, but more devastating for wildlife," she said.
Susan Lyndon, who lives nearby, described the site as a "bloody mess".
Bill Pretchard said he was watching disaster unfold.
"What we are seeing is only part of it. We are more worried about what we can't see."
He was critical of the response and said New Zealand was not prepared for the Rena crash.
ON VERGE OF BREAKING APART
Salvors have been battling to keep Rena's back half on the Astrolabe Reef, but the ship is on the verge of breaking apart.
The back half of the 236-metre ship was being torn from the bow, with a crack down its starboard side that was opening and closing in heavy swells yesterday.
The stern is splitting from the front of the ship and may sink, with a large loss of oil. Three tugs had been supporting the rear of the ship overnight.
The ship has been moving around in high tides.
The project-cargo ship Pancaldo, armed with two large cranes, left Wellington Harbour this morning to assist in the recovery operation.
Joyce said last night the ship had clearly started breaking up and the biggest fear was it would sink where it was currently located.
''The worst case scenario is it sinks where it is because that water is quite deep and it will get quite a lot harder to get access to the oil and salvage it.''
Attempts would be made to avert that scenario.
''They've got tugs out on the water... if the ship starts to break up they're going to try and hold the stern on the reef because that will be an easier place to do the salvage of the oil from.
''If they are unable to do that....then they will look to try and guide it to shallower water which, again, they can have access to should it sink. They need to get it to water of about 50m deep or less to be able to do that.''
By yesterday evening about 1000 people were involved in the disaster effort and more would follow over the next few days, Joyce said.
- KIRSTY JOHNSTON, MARTY SHARPE, PALOMA MIGONE, MICHELLE COOKE, PAUL EASTON and KATE CHAPMAN
13 Oct, 2011--
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