26 Sep 2023

Fears over diesel spill near penguin habitat

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 26 September 2023
Map of Banks Peninsula

Photo: Supplied

Environment Canterbury concedes an oil spill near a marine reserve is not able to be contained.

The 25-metre long Austro Carina crashed into the rocks and ran aground at Canterbury's Shell Bay on the eastern side of the peninsula on Sunday night.

The four crew made it to shore and had to be winched out by helicopter.

It is estimated 10,000 litres of diesel and 400 litres of hydraulic fluid is on the grounded ship.

Aerial observations are set to get underway to work out the extent of the situation, but weather is limiting a containment operation. 

The spill is close to the Akaroa Marine Reserve and the area is home to protected species like the kororā/little blue penguin and the upokohue/Hector's dolphins among several others.

Kathryn speaks with Andy Thompson, DoC's Mahaanui operations manager and Shireen Helps owner and founder of Pōhatu Penguins, a wildlife tour company on Banks Peninsula.

<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d4070.1927748846033!2d173.0850288702584!3d-43.8352846477922!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2snz!4v1695675854423!5m2!1sen!2snz" width="600" height="450" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe>