Rena breaks up

Some containers have been seen floating ten miles north of the Port of Tauranga, with a large amount of debris, including timber and bags of milk powder, sighted downwind of the vessel. With both sections of the vessel lying about 30 metres apart and although the weather conditions are expected to ease in the next few days, more debris and containers are expected to wash ashore over the next few days.

David Billington, the Maritime New Zealand salvage unit manager, has been reported as saying that the two sections remain on the reef but that they are badly damaged.

An unknown quantity of oil remains on board and although light oil has been spotted coming from the bow and stern of the vessel, there have been no reports of any being washed on up nearby beaches.