Storm throws dive-wreck debris on to beach

Wreckage from an old navy frigate that was sunk last year washed ashore near Wellington at the weekend after a storm lashed the lower North Island.

The former HMNZS Wellington was sold for $1 to the Sink F69 Trust which sunk it about 500 metres off Island Bay - close to Cook Strait - on November 14.

The trust said the wreck would be an attraction for tourists and divers.

But Island Bay man Nick Dryden, a former fishermen and diving instructor, warned at the time the lightly built ship would break up very quickly and become a danger to divers.

On Saturday, Island Bay resident Ken Findlay said he was walking on the beach when he came across the wreckage scattered along the shore.

Mr Findlay said there was so much of it his initial response was to start looking for bodies as he thought the storm had caused a fishing boat to sink.

But on closer inspection he realised the debris had come from the sunken frigate.

"There was a large quantity of cork, like the type you use to insulate freezers, lots of polyester and rubber," he said.

Mr Findlay called Wellington police and notified them of the wreckage.

It was not until yesterday when he met Sink F69 Trust chairman Marco Zeeman at a Victoria University open day that it was confirmed the wreckage was from the F69, he said.

Mr Zeeman said there had been less than a trailer load of wreckage collected from the shore but scattered over the length of the beach he could understand how it could have looked like more.

"It was a hell of a storm and I'm a bit disappointed and a bit surprised but that's what happens with shipwrecks," he said.

Mr Zeeman said despite warnings about the wreck breaking up he did not expect any problems. A diving team would go down and check the wreckage, he said.

"It's just had it's first major storm and it will be slowly squished into the seabed and the result will be that it looks more like a shipwreck," he said.

- NZPA