New Zealand oil spill - in pictures

Oil leaks from the grounded MV Rena in Tauranga, New Zealand. The 47,000-tonne Rena, a Liberian container vessel, struck a reef on Wednesday, causing a slick that has spread over 5km. Authorities are preparing for the worst environmental disaster in New Zealand history should the vessel break up and spill 1,700 tonnes of fuel into the Bay of Plenty Photograph: Getty Images/Ross Brown

A helicopter sprays dispersant onto the oil slick Photograph: Alan Gibson/AP

A penguin found on the beach is washed at the Oiled Wildlife Response unit set up in a makeshift camp in Tauranga Photograph: Bradley Ambrose/Getty Images

Oil from the stricken cargo ship has begun washing up on the beach at Mount Manguanui Photograph: John Cowpland/EPA

A surfer takes to the sea with ships in the background near the Port of Tauranga Photograph: Bradley Ambrose/Getty Images

MV Rena is grounded 13.5 nautical miles off Tauranga. The reef can be seen to the right of the vessel Photograph: Fairfax/Getty Images

A man looks through binoculars toward the grounded ship from Mount Maunganui beach Photograph: Bradley Ambrose/Getty Images

MV Rena, with 2,100 containers aboard, lists to the port side after running aground Photograph: Alan Gibson/AP

Oil-covered penguins being treated at the wildlife rehabilitation facility set up at Tauranga Photograph: Maritime New Zealand/EPA

A blob of oil from the Rena on the beach at Mount Manguanui Photograph: John Cowpland/EPA