Race against time to save New Zealand's stunning coast as oil begins to wash ashore from stricken ship

These worrying images of globules of thick, black oil show that it's now a race against time in order to save New Zealand's stunning coastline after a leak from a stricken ship has begun to wash ashore.

Spots of the slick now punctuate the stunning beaches after the Liberian ship MV Rena struck the Astrolabe Reef about 14 miles from Tauranga Harbour in the Bay of Plenty region on the North Island.

The 775-foot (236-metre) ship, which ran aground on Wednesday, has created a three-mile leak, leading to fears it could cause an environmental disaster if it breaks apart.  More Read

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