Greek owned, Monrovia registered container ship
mv Rena ran aground on Astrolabe Reef on 5 Oct 2011 in good weather. She was carrying c 1400 containers and c 1900 tons of oil. Complications caused by bad weather and high seas eventually broke her in two and the resulting oil spill was the countrys worst marine environmental disaster to date.
HMNZS Rotoiti was on scene to rescue the Filipino crew, while 6 Sq Seasprites assisted, as HMNZS Endeavour headed for the reef.
Recovery of most of the containers - which included some undeclared hazardous materials - and removal of the wreck, took over a year.