New Zealand Arrests Stricken Oil Ship’s Captain - “I want answers,” said Prime Minister John Key.

Potentially New Zealand's worst ever maritime environmental disaster

 

The condition of a stricken cargo ship stuck on a reef and leaking oil off the coast of New Zealand worsened on Wednesday, with about 70 containers falling overboard and the vessel moving onto a steeper lean. Rough seas and poor weather conditions were making any possibility of a salvage crew boarding the 775-foot (236-metre) ship impossible, officials said
Weather forecasters were predicting the sea swells would ease to six feet by Thursday, at which point salvage crews might be able to try to board the ship, Maritime New Zealand said.
There are 1,368 containers on board, 11 of which contain hazardous substances, the maritime agency said.
But the containers holding hazardous materials were not among the 70 that had fallen overboard, the agency said. Many of the containers were bobbing in the sea around the ship, or had possibly sunk to the ocean floor.
Maritime New Zealand issued a navigational warning to other ships in the area.
On Wednesday, the captain of the Liberia-flagged Rena was arrested and charged under New Zealand's Maritime Act, which could land him in prison for a year if he is convicted.

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