New Zealand oil slick ship breaks up in storm

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The Monrovia-flagged container ship 'Rena' is seen split in two in a storm as it is pounded by high seas off the coast of Tauranga Sunday.

WELLINGTON , Jan 8 (agencies): A cargo ship stranded on a New Zealand reef for the past three months has split in two in a severe storm, creating fears of a fresh oil spill, maritime officials said Sunday.
The two pieces of the Rena have been forced 20-30 metres (yards) apart after waves of up to six metres hit the vessel, Maritime New Zealand spokesman Ross Henderson said.
"The National Response Team has been activated to respond to the potential release of oil from the ship and to treat any affected wildlife," he said.
The Rena has been stuck on Astrolabe Reef off the North Island resort area of Tauranga since October 5 and salvors have been in the process of removing more than 1,000 containers from the vessel.
Henderson said the forward section of the ship remained in its original position on the reef and while the stern was also still on the reef it was "moving significantly".
When the Rena ran aground, about 350 tonnes of oil spilled into the sea and was washed on to once-pristine beaches, killing at least 1,300 birds.
More than 1,000 tonnes of oil have since been pumped off ship but there is more on board.
The Filipino captain and second officer of the ship face multiple charges over the incident, including operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Before the storm hit, 389 containers had been removed from the Rena, 98 had been washed overboard and an estimated 881 remained on the ship.
Henderson said there had been a "significant discharge of containers and container debris" during the storm and a three-kilometre exclusion zone around the stricken ship may have to be extended.
New Zealand's Environment Minister Nick Smith has claimed the Rena hit the Astrolabe Reef while taking a short cut to reach port.
Salvors have also been removing containers from the vessel and said before the storm hit there were an estimated 881 still on board. Only a few of the ship's original consignment of containers had hazardous cargo.
Container recovery specialist Claudine Sharpe said "between 200 to 300 containers" were washed overboard as the ship separated and only about 40 to 60 would have remained afloat.
MNZ salvage unit manager David Billington expected more containers to be lost before the storm eased in about three days as both sections of the ship were open to the sea and vulnerable to more damage.
"While the two sections of the Rena currently remain on the reef, there's no question the ship is badly damaged with the severe movement breaking off many of the hatch covers and releasing containers from the holds," he said.
MNZ salvage advisor Jon Walker said the stern section, listing at 24 degrees, was likely to capsize and sink which would make recovering further containers from that section considerably more difficult.
Attempts were being made to tag the containers in the water as it was too rough to tow or recover them and a navigational warning had been issued to shipping.
The regional harbour master was also considering extending the three nautical mile exclusion zone set up around the Rena because of the large field of debris flowing from the ship.
The Filipino captain and second officer of the Rena have been arrested and face multiple charges over the grounding, including operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk.
They have also been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, which carries a seven-year jail term, amid accusations documents were altered after the grounding.
The two men are on bail but are being housed at a secret location for their own safety because of fears of a public backlash
Environment Minister Smith has claimed the Rena hit the Astrolabe Reef while taking a short cut to reach port.