The devastating Rena shipwreck off New Zealand spilt hundreds of tons of heavy fuel oil onto the pristine Bay of Plenty Coastline, and wreaked havoc on the birds, seals, penguins and wildlife. This short video tells a sorry tale of government inaction and locals taking matters into their own hands.
This guy shot from the hip in anger. Most NZ's are angry but get your facts right 1st. Yes it was the Captains birthday but there is no evidence yet he was drunk, just speculation. Its like saying Fred's house burnt down on his birthday, he must have been drunk! The reason they could not do anything for days is that the ships fuel is a low grade 'tar like' substance, a bit like Marmite. You need specialised equipment to pump it out. It needs to be heated to make it flow like a normal liquid.
wiremugeorge 4 months ago
Thanks Pete for that video. I had no idea how bad this was, you have shown more here than any TV Station. What a complete mis management of all of this. I felt very moved when you said all the locals ignored the warning signs and got on the beach and began the clean up themselves. That shows deadly community spirit. But the environment is still destroyed. The world needs oil to function, but is it is a deadly commodity that causes massive destruction when handled incorrectly.
Dingosimon 4 months ago
Good report, thanks. An avoidable blunder.
DAILEYericCaryUSA 4 months ago
Funny how we as a species treat the ocean as both a pantry and a toilet.
bored1980 4 months ago
Good MOrning New Zealand. I have been a witness to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 and am still in conversation with many of the people who have become what some are calling accidental activists. You can see some of their You Tube videos from that time. Last night a film called The Big Fix was premiered in New Orleans. If you can see that do it. You have so much in common with these people and should talk to them. Cherri Foytlin, Drew Landry, Dean Blanchard (owned a shrimp company).
BALGALLERY 4 months ago