Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

Rena Update 13

RENA UPDATE (update 13)

Clean-up crews tackling oil spilled on Bay of Plenty beaches from the cargo vessel Rena face a "long hard slog," MNZ National On Scene Commander Nick Quinn said.

"There is a massive effort underway and it is only going to grow," he said.

"We understand the anger and disbelief we're hearing from people.

"We have a huge task in front of us but I can assure you that we are on the front foot and mobilising where and when we can.

"Our focus is on recovering oil from wherever we find it and we will go in day by day until this is over.

"It's hard dirty work, but with all the agencies involved and the community pulling together, we will get this oil cleaned up," Mr Quinn said.

Mr Quinn said the response team was working to coordinate volunteer efforts.

"We are very appreciative of the volunteer support we are continuing to receive. We need to coordinate this properly to ensure we get the maximum benefit from it. Please be patient while we put systems in place to manage these teams - be assured we will be calling on you."

Clean up

* Clean-up teams have so far collected 50 tonnes of solid waste and 5 tonnes of liquid waste.

* Yesterday, 17 kilometres of coastline was cleaned of oil.

* Today the coastline from Whangamata to Whakatane will be assessed by the SCAT (Shoreline Clean-up Assessment Team) to determine the areas of highest priority for cleanup. The teams will then work methodically through the affected areas.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

* There is a massive operation underway today with around 500 responders on the beach.Theatre, Taugang

Salvage

* The Rena is settled on the reef. However, the vessel is moving around a little with high tides - the next one is at 9am.

* The salvage master and the head of the MNZ salvage unit are going out at first light to do an observation flight. They will make an assessment of the vessel and a plan will be developed to get the salvage crew back on board the vessel if it can be done safely. Human safety must be the priority and no action will be taken that will put lives at risk.

* If we do get people on board the vessel today, two helicopters will be on standby to evacuate crew members if needed.

Criminal charges - second officer

* The second officer will appear in Tauranga District Court this morning facing one charge laid by Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act (MTA) 1994, "for operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk".

* The Master of the vessel was yesterday remanded on bail until 19 October on the same charge, on the condition he surrender his passport. His name is suppressed.

Wildlife

* The Wildlife team has established a seal capture team and have five seals in captivity.

* We have now recovered 200 dead birds and this is expected to increase significantly.

* There are 36 teams out in the field and at the wildlife facility - we have 47 oiled animals at the rehabilitation centre.

* The public are asked to please report dead birds, as the wildlife team will come and retrieve the birds as they need to examine them as part of their process.

* There have been reports of people receiving phone calls from individuals claiming to be part of the wildlife response and seeking donations from the public. Please note this is NOT an official request - there are no requests for public donations for any aspect of the spill response.

Volunteers

* Over a thousand people have volunteered to assist with the cleanup which is really heartening, as it shows just how deeply the people of the Bay of Plenty care about their environment This is hard physical labour and the fact that people are continuing to volunteer is appreciated.

* If you want to volunteer and haven't yet done so, please phone 0800 645 774 or through the website www.boprc.govt.nz/oilspillvolunteers. For those of you who already have volunteered and haven't yet been contacted please be patient - we will get to you.

Public health

* Health warnings are being issued to prepare residents for worsening smells from the oil.

* The oil spillage on the beaches, combined with the current weather conditions, has produced in a noticeable smell in some areas. This smell is likely to diminish over a period of one or two hours from the time the oil reaches the beach.

* Some people in the vicinity may experience some physical discomfort. They are advised to shut windows and avoid the immediate vicinity of the beaches and all immediate or secondary contact with the oil spillage.

* Anyone with concerns about the public health issues should call 0800 611 116.

Weather

* Moderate winds and sea state forecast, with 20 knot north easterlies dropping to 10 knot westerly winds this morning and rising to 10 knots again this afternoon - 3m swells easing.

* Fair visibility.

Public meetings today

* 1pm at Mount Maunganui College Hall

* 6pm Papamoa Sports and Recreation Centre

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.