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Bulldozers and diggers were used yesterday to drag this 23m fishing boat up Ninety Mile Beach after it washed ashore with about 8000 litres of diesel on board.
The Kumea II, a wooden-hulled longliner, was driven by big seas on to the beach at Waipapakauri Ramp, northwest of Kaitaia on Monday.
The Westpac rescue helicopter lifted all four of the vessel's crew to safety when it started taking on water and its motor failed 11km off the southern end of the beach.
About 3000 litres of fuel has been salvaged from the boat.
Deputy harbourmaster Jim Lyle says it is not known where the rest of the fuel leaked out.
Debris from the 24-year-old boat was also picked up from the beach yesterday.
