traps Koreans

Tokelau reef traps Koreans

The people of Atafu in Tokelau have pumped 50 44gallon drums of diesel from the Korean fishing boat Nam Hae No 217 which ran aground on the reef in April. While there is still some diesel on board, there is no longer an immediate pollution threat to Atafu. The Nam Hae carried a tank full of 17 000 gallons (77 300 L) of diesel, and originally it was feared that the tanks might rupture.

Shortly after the accident, the Tokelau Affairs Office in Apia contacted the firm in c u u u Amencan Samoa which charters (he boat Starkist Samoa - as well as the insurance company. There was to be an attempt to pull the boat off the reef, when the salvage boat arrived from Papua New Guinea The Nam Hae was badly ~, . J damaged but there were no casualties. She was drifting offshore about 275 m north-west of the reef channel when the accident occurred. The crew

was later taken aboard other

fishing boats,

The Nam Hae is the second Korean fishing boat to run aground on the reef at Atafu within two months. The strand ing was on April 9, just seven weeks after another vessel the Tae Yang ran aground as she was sailing to her fishing

grounds.

The Nam Hae was taking the captain of the Tae Yang back to Atafu for talks with the Council of Elders when the ac cident occurred. 0 „ ._ . , . A . • South Pacific Island Air ways and Ajr Pacific have launched a new tourist fare covering five islands Viti Levu, Tongatapu, Vavau, Upolu and Tutuila for $246. Qantas services,ter minating at Nadi four times a week or Air Pacific’s four a we f k to Nukualofa may be used as entry points, Th > (our js known * £ (he - Five-Island Festival Fare”, it allows stopovers on each is land. There are no minimum stay requirements.

his is Nei Nimanoa, a 22.7m ramped transporter and the largest hip built in the Gilberts. She has just been completed at the Tarawa hipyard under a UK-funded aid scheme. Designed by Impala Marine td, she has a light displacement of 54 tonnes and has space for 9 tonnes of cargo. Accommodation includes two four-berth cabins Dr the crew, a two-berth cabin for the master and chief engineer, galley and toilet-shower. The wheelhouse is at the forward end of the deckhouse on top of the engine-room. A Decca 101 radar and Kelvin Hughes Pentland Bravo radio are fitted in the wheelhouse. the main engines are twin Kelvin T4 diesels, each developing 20BHP at 1 OOOrpm, fitted 2:1 reduction gearboxes. The two aux aries are identical Lister HR 2M air-cooled diesels driving a 7.5 [?]VA generator and a GGG pumps with a capacity of 172.7L a minute. [?]he fuel tanks are just forward of the engine-room under the landing leek and have a total capacity of 11 365 L. On the 13.1 m landing leck are two 2-tonne derricks, fitted port and starboard to facilitate cargo handling at islands where it is not possible to beach the craft.

The Gilbert Islands Shipping Corporation is already operating a simi ar type of craft. With the Gilberts going independent, probably in [?]he next 12 months anything that will provide income and employ nent, especially as phosphate royalties from Ocean Island will soon [?]ry up, will be welcomed. So, Tarawa shipyard will welcome orders or new ships from anywhere.