Tauranga grounding: What is the latest situation?

An overflight this morning has confirmed no significant change to the state of the wreck.

A sheen stretching about 4km was observed stretching north east of Rena.

Currently, trajectory modelling predicts oil is likely to come ashore east of Maketu this evening. We will be updating the modelling throughout the day.

Sea swells are forecast to ease to 1.5m today.

Oil spill response teams are ready to respond to any reports of oil coming ashore today. Booms have been put in place to protect sensitive areas in Maketu, Little Waihi and Waitahanui.

Oil spill response teams will also be working at Mount Maunganui, Leisure Island and Matakana Island today.

Container and debris recovery operations will also be underway, on water and on shore at Waihi Beach and Matakana Island. Braemar Howells teams will also be working in other areas of the Bay of Plenty where debris or containers have been reported as reaching the shoreline.

There will be two community meetings today, one at 12pm and one at 6pm, both in the Tauranga Boys College Auditorium on Cameron Road.

The press conference will be held at 3pm at the Tauranga Boys College Auditorium on Cameron Road.

Any members of the public interested in assisting with the clean up effort should visit www.boprc.govt.nz/oilspillvolunteers.

View media images and footage on our incident gallery

ENDS

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