4 Apr 2012

Containers top concern for mayor

10:00 am on 4 April 2012

Thames Coromandel district Mayor Glenn Leach says he is more concerned about containers littering the coastline than more oil washing up from the Rena.

Oil and debris are expected to wash up on the Coromandel Peninsula after heavy swells sent about 10 containers tumbling off the wreck on Tuesday.

More oil was also spilled.

Mr Leach says his biggest concern is containers washing up on the coastline and the contents getting caught in remote, rocky areas.

He told Morning Report it's a worry that the weather is too rough to get planes up to find out where the containers and the oil are, or vessels out to round up the containers.

Maritime New Zealand expects to get a plane in the air later in the day to establish the extent of the latest leak.