Navy ship set to pick up poison packages

The navy dive tender HMNZS Manawanui has cleared an area on its stern deck to take on potentially lethal cargo from the sea off the Northland coast.

The ship was due today to pick up the first of about 40 orange packages of poison used to fumigate holds in ships, particularly logging ship where pests and animals could be hidden among the log cargoes.

However, the magnesium phosphide chemical can release a dangerous toxic fumes when mixed with water which could be lethal to people. They were found floating off the Northland coast over the weekend and sparked a maritime crisis involving emergency authorities, the police, firefighters and the Maritime Safety Authority.

The public was warned to stay well clear of any packages and immediately call the 111 emergency line and take a GPS position so they could be tracked and recovered.

Manawanui left the Devonport naval base in Auckland about midnight. When it reached Marsden Point at the entrance to Whangarei Harbour about 8am today, it took on chemical experts, firefighters, an MSA representative and specialised equipment to pick up the packages from the sea.

It was due about six nautical miles north east of the Poor Knights about 1.30pm today where it would collect the packages from the sea.

"They would be lifted onto the Manawanui in a controlled manner and would be placed in a designated safe area aboard her. That should allow any gases to vent into the air safely," said MSA spokesman, Matt Johnson.

"The recovered ones will be taken to a secure land-based hazardous chemical storage area at Marsden Point. That will allow that venting process to continue. That could take several days.

"After that,it is likely the stuff will be buried. It basically becomes inert," he said.

The packages are between 1.5m and 2m long, 45cm wide and 15cm thick.

The packages may be spread over a 400 sq km area near the world renowned dive spot at the Poor Knights Islands off the Northland coast and boaties have been urged to call on VHF channel 16 if they spot any of the packages.

Mr Johnson said none was yet thought to have washed up on the Northland coast.

A helicopter was also expected to co-ordinate the salvage by the Manawanui.

The first of the packages was found by recreational fishermen east of the Poor Knights on Saturday and there were other possible sightings of the packages as far north as Cape Brett.

They were thought to have come from one of the numerous ships which passed through the area and the MSA was trying to identify which ship may have lost the potentially lethal cargo.

- NZPA