Pinoy captain in New Zealand sea disaster pleads guilty

The Filipino captain and second officer of the container ship “Rena,” which ran aground and caused an environmental disaster off a popular New Zealand holiday spot last year, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to 10 of the 11 charges lodged against them.

It added that the ship’s “Master” and its “Second Officer” (Navigation), both Philippine nationals, were slapped with charges for several offenses, which include the following:   On October 12, MNZ charged both men under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act (MTA) 1994, “for operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk.” This carries a maximum penalty of $10,000 or a maximum term of imprisonment of 12 months.   On November 2, MNZ charged the two for the “discharge of harmful substances from ships or offshore installations.” The charge carries a maximum penalty of a fine of $300,000, or two years’ imprisonment, and $10,000 for every day the offending continues.   On December 21, both men were also charged for “wilfully attempt(ing) to pervert the course of justice” by altering ship’s documents subsequent to the grounding. The Master faces four charges under the Crimes Act, and the Second Officer three charges. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment.   "Rena” ran aground off the Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island last October 5.   A report on Malaysia’s The Star said the ship spewed around 300 tons of thick and toxic fuel oil into the sea when it hit the reef, killing thousands of sea birds and ruining beaches up to 100 kilometers from the reef in the process. - RJMD/VVP, GMA News