Swells dislodge wrecked catamaran from rocks in Akaroa Harbour

A plan to salvage the wrecked Black Cat Cruises boat has been adapted after swells dislodged it from rocks. Photo / Environment Canterbury

By RNZ

A tourist boat that ran aground in Banks Peninsula’s Akaroa Harbour is now wrecked on shore after swells dislodged it from rocks near the heads.

New photos show the Black Cat Cruises boat wrecked on the shore in Banks Peninsula’s Akaroa Harbour after swells dislodged the catamaran from rocks near the heads.

The boat ran aground in the Akaroa Marine Reserve on Saturday, resulting in the rescue of more than 40 passengers and crew and a Transport Accident Investigation Commission investigation.

The boat was carrying 2240 litres of marine diesel fuel and around 120 litres of other oils in sealed containers and engines combined.

The earlier video footage above shows the boat when it was still grounded on rocks before it was dislodged by swells.

On Thursday Canterbury Regional Council staff were collecting debris and monitoring wildlife after they saw a crested penguin showing signs of potentially being unwell.

On-scene commander Emma Parr said the wildlife team tried to capture the penguin to assess its welfare and whether its behaviour was because of contact with oil.

“After several attempts they were unable to capture the penguin as it dived under water as soon as it was approached,” she said.

“After specialist advice from Wildbase, the decision was made to stop efforts to capture it as continuing could have caused distress to the animal. We continue to observe the penguin as part of our wildlife observation plan and will take any necessary action to help distressed wildlife.”

Parr said the boat was now sitting higher up the beach in Nīkau Palm Valley Bay and was expected to move further in the coming days, settling through the tidal cycle.

“This has changed the recovery options available and the salvage plan is being adapted accordingly. The good news is that we expect that less internal debris will be released, making collection more straightforward and minimising environmental impact,” she said.

“Once we have an approved salvage plan, recovery efforts will begin as soon as possible. All parties involved continue to be committed to the removal of the wreck in its entirety from this sensitive area.”

A 200m exclusion zone remained in place, with boaties being urged to respect the restrictions.

The regional council temporarily suspended recovery efforts for two days this week because of bad weather.

On Wednesday,well-being Black Cat Cruises said its Akaroa Nature Cruise and Swimming with Dolphins experiences had resumed.

“The safety and well-being of our customers, crew and the marine environment is always our highest priority. Our team approaches every experience with care, respect, and responsibility,” the company said.

The tour operator has previously said the grounding was the first incident of its kind for its vessels in more than 40 years.

-RNZ