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Salvage of wrecked ship in Solomon Islands finally underway
A month after a bulk loader ran aground in Solomon Islands, the salvage operation has only just swung into action.
MV Solomon Trader oil spill on Rennell Island, Solomon Islands. Photo: The Australian High Commission Solomon Islands
The ship, the Solomon Trader, got stuck on a reef in Rennell while loading bauxite during a cyclone on the 5 February.
Since then, it's spilt about 100 tonnes of oil into a world heritage marine area.
The initial slow response by the companies responsible has angered the governments of Solomon Islands, Australia and New Zealand, which have contributed to the clean-up.
The director of the Solomon Islands Disaster Management Office, Loti Yates, said the response is - finally - underway.
"Everything is moving, but the actual extracting the oil of the ship has not started. But containing the flow, they've set down the booms and everything that will avoid devastation from what oil is still coming out, that is being done."
RNZ
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