A team of New Zealand marine pollution experts has been sent to Samoa following the grounding of a container ship at the entrance to Apia harbour.
The Forum Samoa II, a 126 metre container ship carrying fuel oil, was holed after it ran aground on a coral reef in Apia Harbour.
The New Zealand Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, says five experts from Maritime New Zealand have flown to Samoa today on an Air Force Hercules.
He says the Samoan Government asked for assistance and the New Zealand deployment is to assist against the possibility of an oil spill.
