Race to aid crippled warship

By SCOTT MacLEOD

Two New Zealand warships were last night racing to help a British destroyer that hit a rock off the coast of Australia.

HMS Nottingham was ploughing through heavy seas at 11.20pm on Sunday when it hit the submerged rock 3.7km east of Lord Howe Island, 450km from New South Wales.

It immediately sent a distress call to the island's port operations manager, Clive Wilson, who told the Herald last night that the crew did an "amazing job to save the ship and not lose any lives".

Mr Wilson said pumps were sent out from the island to help the crew to deal with water coming through a hole in the warship's side.

Two hours after hitting the rock, the 3500-tonne ship was stabilised and able to anchor at Middle Beach.

None of the 253 crew was hurt, but aerial photographs showed a long oil slick spreading behind the vessel. Australian news reports spoke of a possible environmental disaster, but Mr Wilson said the leak was under control.

The slick was a mixture of diesel oil and contaminated water leaking from the number two engine room, which was flooded. The slick was breaking up in the heavy seas.

Australia had no warships in the area, and asked New Zealand to send its nearest vessels.

HMNZS Endeavour, an oil tanker, was ordered to steam from Brisbane to help the Nottingham. It was expected to arrive at 5am today.

Defence spokeswoman Major Jules Lovelock said the frigate Te Mana was also ordered to help, but was forced to refuel south of Townsville.

It would take 36 hours to reach the Nottingham once it left port.

Major Lovelock said the Endeavour was equipped with pumps which could empty the Nottingham's leaking tanks. It also had oil-absorbing socks, hosing and contamination equipment, which could help to deal with oil spills.

The Nottingham had been exercising with Te Mana, the Endeavour and warships from Australia, Singapore and Malaysia before hitting the rock.

It was on its way to New Zealand and was to spend two weeks in Wellington and Dunedin from Thursday.

The Royal Navy will investigate why the ship hit the rock. The Australian Associated Press said its captain, 41-year-old Commander Richard Farrington, could be court martialled.

Commander Farrington said the accident was caused by a mix of "unfortunate circumstances and human error". He had feared the ship would sink.

"I hazarded the lives of 250 men and women. We've done significant damage to a major British warship. This is not a good day for me."

Mr Wilson said the rock was marked on charts, but was often submerged in bad weather. Sunday night was dark with showers, a big swell and high winds.

Claims by Greenpeace that the Nottingham was in the area to escort a controversial nuclear shipment from Japan have been rejected by New Zealand and British authorities.