Captain Of Stricken Ship Off New Zealand Arrested [BREAKING NEWS]

WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)–The captain of the stricken cargo ship Rena has been arrested, as 70 containers fell from the heavily listing boat into the ocean overnight, Fairfax-owned news website Stuff reported Wednesday.

The loss of the containers was reported to Maritime New Zealand by New Zealand Navy ship Endeavour Wednesday morning, it said.

The Rena, a 47,000 ton cargo ship that grounded on the Astrolabe reef off Tauranga Oct. 5, is now tilting up to 18 degrees to the port, or left, side, the website reported. A MNZ spokesman said the ship’s cargo of containers was looking very unstable on that side. Some 1,357 containers remain on board.

The captain of the ship has been charged under Section 65 of the Maritime Act and would appear in court this morning, Environment Minister Nick Smith said, according to the report.

Section 65 covers dangerous activity involving ships or maritime products.

Newspaper website: http://www.stuff.co.nz

-Wellington Bureau, Dow Jones Newswires

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