88 containers lost off stricken NZ vessel

An environmental disaster is continuing to unfold in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty. According the APNZ Herald Online, the container ship Rena struck Astrolabe Reef, 20km off Tauranga, at full speed early last Wednesday and is leaking oil. Wildlife is dying and the area's pristine white sand beaches are turning black with oil and are dotted with containers that have been lost overboard. While Costamare Shipping Company SA managing director Diamantis Manos has issued an apology for the incident, experts from around the world have been called in to help deal with the situation. At the last estimate, according to the Herald, 88 containers had fallen off the vessel. One of them was a dangerous goods container and 48 were empties. In addition, 50 tonnes of solid waste and five tonnes of liquid waste have been collected.