A 15-metre motor launch that sunk off Motukorure Island in Mercury Bay likely will not be salvaged before the weekend, Waikato Regional Council says.
The vessel struck rocks near the island, also known as Centre Island, sometime before 3.45pm on Wednesday and sank fairly quickly with 1300 litres of diesel on board, the council said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.
The skipper and his passenger were uninjured.
The council previously described the launch as “new”, but council on-scene commander Cliff Gibson said it had determined the vessel was about 10 years old, but new to the owner.
He said the vessel was sitting upright in more than 20m of water.