The leak appeared to be intermittent and coming from damaged pipes
A large container ship stuck on a reef off the coast of New Zealand is leaking oil. Maritime New Zealand said on Thursday the leak appeared to be intermittent and coming from damaged pipes rather than from fuel tanks. It added the extent of the spillage was hard to assess given the extensive damage to the vessel.
The 775-foot (236-metre) Liberia-flagged Rena struck the Astrolabe Reef, about 12 nautical miles from Tauranga Harbour, early on Wednesday. It has been floundering there since. Maritime New Zealand said the 25 crew on board of the Rena were safe and trying to stop more oil from leaking.
The agency added that so far, four seabirds had died in the oil slick, which extends about three miles (five kilometres) from the ship.
