Rena splits in two

A container vessel, stranded on Astrolabe reef off New Zealand’s North Island since October, has split in two.

Rena, a 236-meter container vessel, split into two in rough seas near Tauranga.

Officials were forced to close Waihi Beach after containers washed ashore.

Teams are currently removing debris from the beach including timber, milk powder and plastic material, Maritime New Zealand said in a statement on its website.

As much as 350 metric tons of oil have leaked from the vessel since the grounding, according to Maritime New Zealand.

That makes it the worst oil spill the nation has experienced.

Image: Getty