A stricken container ship has split in two in stormy weather off New Zealand.<br/> The 47,230 tonne Liberian-flagged Rena has been stranded on a reef since running aground on October 5 last year.<br/> Maritime authorities said both parts of the ship were about 100 feet away from each other after being pounded by wild weather overnight.<br/> Hundreds of the containers stacked on the ship's deck tipped into the sea when it broke apart.<br/> Reponse teams have been mobilised including oil spill and wildlife experts.<br/> Thousands of birds were killed by the ships earlier spill and it took months to clean up the shore in what was New Zealand's worst environmental disaster in decades.<br/> The ships captain and navigation officer, both Philippine nationals have been charged with operating a vessel in a dangerous manner and releasing toxic substances.<br/> Marie-Claire Fennessy, Reuters
