The dismantled pieces of a Chinese fishing vessel stuck on a reef in French Polynesia will end up in New Zealand.
The Shen Gang Shun 1 has been stuck for more than two years on the French Polynesian atoll of Arutua.
The dismantling process, carried out by maritime salvage company Koole, is expected to end this month.
The Shen Gang Shun 1 has been stuck for more than two years on Arutua Photo: supplied
The vessel will be cut up with its pieces placed onto a barge.
The pieces of steel will be sent back to Papeete and then to New Zealand to be recycled.
Mayor of Arutua, Reupena Taputuarai, told La Premiere he had asked for a floating beacon to prevent more ships from beaching its reef.
"The territory still hasn't answered my demands to install a beacon. I will have to ask again in the future once I come back to Tahiti.
It should be an obligation to install a beacon in this position, seeing what has happened in the last three years. I don't want it to happen again," he said.
At the same time, the barge will rid the atoll of two other sailing vessels that were beached for a while.
The operation has been slow due to strong swells on the coral reef.