Update: Half of Rena Sinks, Leaks More Oil

The stern of the stricken ship is now almost completely submerged. 

Around 9:30 a.m. local time the stern of the vessel was seen sinking into the sea. The accomodation portion of the stern is now completely submerged while a portion of the stern half of the vessel remains sticking out of the water. 

There is a trail of debris and oil surrounding the wreckage site. Officials say that another 10 tons of oil has spilled into the sea, along with nearly two dozen containers containing cryolite, a chemical used as an insecticide and pesticide. Officials say that should the chemicals come free, the sea will likely dillute them to safe levels. 

Over the weekend, powerful waves from violent storms broke the container ship in half, tossing some 200-300 containers overboard. The bow remains on the Astrolabe Reef - about 14 miles from Tauranga. 

The Liberian flagged vessel was grounded on the reef on October 5th during calm seas. The ship's captain and navigation officer have been charged with operating a vessel in a dangerous manner and releasing toxic materials. They face fines of up to NZ300,000 or up to 2 years in prison. 

Svitzer is continuing to work with Maritime New Zealand to determine the best course of action.