Sharks Attack Sonar Equipment

Recovery of Rena's lost containers on the Astrolabe reef near New-Zealand was not possible last week-end as the sonar equipment was attacked by sharks. A helicopter search is to complement the efforts to check beaches for container debris. A narrow trail of rainbow sheen is visible off the bow of Rena to the northwest for 1km. 

 

A Shoreline Clean-up Assessment Team will be checking Ômanu and Pilot Bay today.

Two clean-up teams are working at the Mount, one team undertaking warm water washing and the other scraping rocks. A team is also working at Kulim Park.

 

A total of 17 containers were removed from Rena over the weekend - nine on Saturday and eight yesterday. In addition to four removed on Friday 16^th December 2011, this brings the total number of containers removed from Rena by Svitzer to 227.

 

One container, with meat products inside it, fell off Rena on Sunday 18^th December 2011 and has been recovered. This brings the total number of containers washed overboard from Rena to 89. 219 containers have been brought ashore and are being processed by the container recovery specialists Braemar Howells Ltd. The Braemar Howells container recovery team is working on East Cape and will also be surveying Whale Island.

 

Dive inspections have been conducted on a regular basis and buckling damage adjacent to the no. 6 hold on the starboard side continues to develop. This is consistent with previous inspections following periods of bad weather. This will continue to be monitored.

 

Three wildlife teams are working at the southern end of Môtîtî Island looking for oiled wildlife. 23 little blue penguins from the western side of Môtîtî Island were released. The penguins, from Sandy Bay, north of Panaturi Point, were released by boat.