Technical difficulties are stalling efforts to salvage a ship at the centre of an environmental disaster in the Solomon Islands.
The MV Solomon Trader stuck on a reef off of Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands is leaking oil into the ocean. February 2019. Photo: Australian High Commission in Solomon Islands - DFAT
A tanker which became wedged on a reef off Rennell Island earlier this month has leaked as much as 60 tonnes of oil into a marine sanctuary.
The bauxite miner which chartered the ship, Bintan Mining Corporation, is leading salvage efforts, which began on Sunday.
Bintan's manager, Fred Teng, said a team is preparing to transfer oil off the ship.
But he said efforts had been stalled by a power generator failure, which has put the cargo crane on-board out of order.
Mr Teng said salvage equipment, including a generator, and 10 crew members are arriving in Honiara on Friday to assist.