Maritime NZ has now lifted the Restricted Access Areas at Carters Beach, around the site of the Manahau grounding.

Maritime NZ issued Restricted Access Areas to protect the public from heavy machinery and other equipment used by the Manahau ’s operator and salvage company throughout the operation and subsequent beach clean-up.

Maritime NZ National On Scene Commander Mick Courtnell thanks the public for their patience and cooperation during the operation.

"I want to thank the community here around Carters Beach and Westport for helping us keep them safe and for their support throughout the response operation," he says. "Most people adhered to the Restricted Access Areas and understood that these were in place to keep people safe and to allow the salvage operation and beach tidy up to happen efficiently."

The Manahau was successfully refloated from the beach during the high tide on Friday 6 September and towed to Port Nelson. A Maritime NZ investigation into the cause of the incident is underway.

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