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Oil spill alert after crane capsizes in Milford Sound

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Oil spill alert after crane capsizes in Milford Sound

3News NZ

The crane has tipped over in Freshwater Basin near the Milford Sound

The crane has tipped over in Freshwater Basin near the Milford Sound

A crane has capsized on a barge in Milford Sound this afternoon and officials are bracing for an oil spill.

Around 200 litres of diesel and 24 litres of oil are in the crane, which tipped over when piling. It now sits on its side with the boom resting on a pile.

There is an additional 1600 litres of oil in a hydraulic power pack which is also sitting on the barge.

Environment Southland has initiated a response which included booming and skimming the oil off the surface in Freshwater Basin.

On scene commander Dallas Bradley says they have to wait for a health and safety inspection before the fuel can be removed.  

He says the situation is considered stable.

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Comments

16/08/2012 6:02:57 p.m.

Matty wrote:

1600L of secure oil, and 200 litres of diesel?? A recreational trailerboat could easily hold 200L of diesel. Whilst we should do our upmost to contain minor issues such as this, is this really a story? Every summers day here in the Bay of Islands hundreds of recreational craft can be buzzing about with many thousands of litres of fuel between them. I repeat, is this a story? Really?

13/08/2012 10:13:16 a.m.

Louey wrote:

to put this in perspective the Rena spill consisted of around 2000 tons of heavy fuel oil and diesel 20,000 sea birds effected etc etc i have to agree with Milford local. tourism is our only major industry that is putting value on our beautiful wild places. the Deepwater Horizon spill in the gulf of mexico disaster was close to a millon tons of crude oil if our current government gets its way and deep sea oil drilling goes ahead around new zealand at even greater depths we will be faced with a real disaster we dont have the fraction of the resources or equipment to deal with such disaster.

12/08/2012 1:39:49 p.m.

RB wrote:

Oil drilling and mining in NZ needs to be immediately stopped. This is an endemic problem for both the environment and the economy.

11/08/2012 3:05:23 p.m.

Annabelle wrote:

This government is so slack with laws and regulations that they let this destroy our environment which we depend on for our economic survival. If we treat the environment ill and not respect what is around us by having lacked laws then we deserve what is coming to us. Covering this spill up has done National government no favours, just made us even more angry and speculative as to what is National government agenda and what they consider to be worth looking after.

9/08/2012 10:17:07 a.m.

milford local wrote:

Several years ago there was an spill of 12000 litre of diesel into the fiord = no ill effects. Chris, tourism is NZs biggest export earner, it hasn't ruined NZ its keeping it running. Dairy cows are what is wrecking NZ. Lyn, the project underway at the moment is to enable us to use the harbour like we used to before DOC closed half of it because one rock fell onto a walkway. During the project there has been an oil protection boom surround the worksite. They are doing they're best to protect the area. If you guys are so worried about this then help stop the tunnel from Queenstown being built, thats the real problem facing us at the moment.

8/08/2012 11:27:16 p.m.

Lyn Ny wrote:

Why are we allowing such potential for harm in the land and sea that we have a duty to protect? Are there any photos or videos of this?

8/08/2012 11:12:17 p.m.

Chris wrote:

You reap what you sow. Tourism wrecked Milford and much of NZ long ago. I hope the operators are happy with this new attraction.

8/08/2012 8:14:56 p.m.

Harry wrote:

just another sign of more to come