Tuesday, 16 June 2015

No new oil on beach overnight

No new oil has washed up overnight and the source of the spill is still unknown as crews gather to continue a clean-up between Foxton and Himatangi Beaches today.

Horizons Regional Council on-scene commander Ian Lowe says a sample of oil found on the beach has been sent to a laboratory for testing and Maritime New Zealand are running some trajectory modelling. However, the focus is very much on clean-up at this stage.

“We’re currently waiting for the tide to recede before we get the full clean-up underway. This involves equipping teams with gloves, shovels and bin liners to clear any oil they see.

“We have about 20 people on the ground at this point and our plan is to clean up the beach in sections, with teams working their way towards a common point.

“We are continuing to check to ensure oil hasn’t extended any further but at this stage it appears to be located between Foxton Beach and 500m north of Himatangi Stream only.”

People are being urged to stay away from the beaches while crews carry out the clean-up.

ENDS

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