Ship debt makes waves

Diving enthusiasts and local businesses in Northland want a $20,000 debt hanging over the sunken Navy frigate Waikato written off.

The money is owed to the Whangarei District Council by Tutukaka Coast Promotions, which spent $500,000 preparing and sinking the old Leander-class frigate off the Tutukaka coast, about 20km north of Whangarei.

A series of controlled explosions sent the frigate 28m to the seabed in November 2000.

The sinking gained worldwide exposure and has brought millions of dollars into the local economy, said Tutukaka Coast Promotions spokesman Jeroen Jongejans. But until the debt was repaid or written off it was hampering further promotional activity for the area.

"It would be really nice if the council realised we had done a lot of promoting for the area and said 'let's wipe it off'."

The local economy in Tutukaka had grown at the rate of 30 per cent a year for the past three years, he said.

The ship was sunk with its main 4 1/2-inch twin naval gun intact but last year the bow broke off and the sea action moved it about 5m from the rest of the hull.

The frigate was sunk a short distance off the Ngunguru inlet and was teeming with fish life, Mr Jongejans said.

He recently dived on the former Australian destroyer escort HMAS Swan, which was sunk 300km south of Perth three years before the Waikato.

"There was a hell of a lot more growth on Waikato than there was on Swan. It makes a lot of difference.

"The Swan was a good dive but I would rate Waikato as a more exciting dive."

Another Navy vessel, the former oceanographic research ship HMNZS Tui, was sunk slightly north of Tutukaka.

Further north again, in Matauri Bay, the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior has been attracting divers since 1987 when it was scuttled.

- NZPA

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