Stranded fishing boat too damaged to save

A 100-tonne fishing boat stranded on rocks in the Far North is almost certainly a total loss.

Salvors are now looking at cutting bits off the 100-tonne Seawyf to make it lighter and easier to salvage as scrap metal.

The vessel had been on the rocks near the entrance to Mangonui Harbour since it was driven ashore during a storm on March 4.

It was badly damaged and salvors had been trying to work out how to get it off the rocks, said Northland Regional Council deputy harbour master Captain Jim Lyle.

He said today the hull was badly holed and the engine and interior of the boat was flooded.

Leaving the wreck on the rocks was not an option and the owners had been told it had to be removed, he said.

"They are still looking at how to salvage it."

Diesel fuel was removed last week and Captain Lyle said the small amount of lubricants still on the vessel was not a concern.

He said the vessel was stable on the reef but that could change.

"If we got a big storm then it probably would get further damage.

"But it is so badly damaged at the moment it is probably scrap."

He said removing pieces of the vessel so it could be lightened and salvaged by adding balloon buoyancy was one option. Another was cutting it up and removing it piece by piece from the site.

Captain Lyle said the owners had not been given a deadline but they would not be allowed to walk away from it.

- NZPA