A cargo ship grounded off the New Zealand coast since October has split into two pieces, after being lashed by pounding seas. This has sparked fears a fresh oil spill could wash ashore.

The front section of the wreck remains stuck in its original position, but the stern section has broken off, slipped at least 100 feet away from the bow and moved significantly. There has been a significant discharge of containers and container debris from the ship.

Salvage crews have removed more than 1,100 tons of oil from the stricken vessel. But about 400 tons remain on board.

The captain and Rena’s navigating officer face criminal charges of operating a ship in a dangerous or risky manner, polluting the environment and altering the ship’s documents after the crash.

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