Rena officers released from jail
The two men responsible for the Rena grounding have walked free from prison and been deported having served just half of their jail sentence, but both men could get their old jobs back, New Zealand Herald repors.
Mauro Balomaga, captain of the container ship, and navigation officer Leonil Relon served half of their seven-month jail sentence on a range of charges, including perverting the course of justice.
Paul Mabey, QC, who represented both men during the court process following the October 5 grounding, said they were this morning being deported back to their homes in Manila, where both their families were based.
An Immigration New Zealand spokesman confirmed that the men had left New Zealand.
In May, the men plead guilty in Tauranga District Court to charges under the Resource Management Act, including being the master of a ship from which harmful substances or contaminants were discharged into the coastal marine area, wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice, and altering ship documents.
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/