The scouring of the Western Bay of Plenty waters for Rena container remnants has solved one of the enduring Motiti Island mysteries – the location of the missing digger.

As reported in Waterline Magazine in September, the near-new 12 tonne digger was being taken to Motiti by a barge some six to seven years ago when it fell off while being transported from Ford's Cut.

A 12 tonne digger lost overboard has been located. Photo: Artist impression.

The digger was relocated during the multi-beam sonar search of Western Bay of Plenty waters by environmental clean-up specialists Braemar Howells for sunken Rena container remnants.

The digger's been found in 20 metres of water, sitting upright. It's located about halfway from the Kaituna River mouth to a landing cut in Wairere Bay.

The resolution on the multi-beam sonar images is fine enough to show the teeth on the digger, and the platelets on the tracks.

A Tauranga commercial diver says he's been offered 'maybe about $1500” for the bucket and a similar amount for each track – a total that won't cover the hire of a tug, barge and crane.

The digger will therefore remain where it is for the time being, continuing its new life as a fish aggregating device.