Rena report brings some clarity for iwi and community

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chairman John Cronin welcomed today's release of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission's interim report into the grounding of the cargo ship MV Rena on the Astrolabe Reef on 5 October 2011.

The report is a factual account of what occurred on the Rena leading up to, and in the immediate time following the grounding.

Chairman Cronin said the report provided some clarity about how the accident had occurred and he felt that it was important for the Bay of Plenty community to be provided with this information.

"Our communities have been through a lot since this accident and hopefully the information provided in this report will help our community better understand what happened and then assist them in the healing process," Chairman Cronin said.

"We really appreciate that this has been a difficult time and we have been very grateful for the patience and understanding of iwi and our community.

"I want to again thank all levels of government and the agencies which have been involved in the response, iwi and our community for their ongoing support and to also acknowledge the commitment and hard work of regional council staff who have dedicated many hours to helping with this incident."

Chairman Cronin said that he believed the final report from the Transport Accident Investigation Commission was due for release later this year.

"We look forward to receiving the final report including recommendations and we will continue to work with the appropriate authorities to restore our environment and help our iwi and community recover," he said.