2010-02-08 13:26:15 -

A rusting ship featured in PETER JACKSON's KING KONG movie is set to be s= unk off the coast of New Zealand - after the company which owned the vess= el went into liquidation.
The director used the Venture II in

his 2005 remake and later sold it t= o a property development firm in Wellington, which kept it moored at a wh= arf in the city.
Ownership of the vessel has now passed to Wellington Regional Council a= fter the company went bust, and local authorities plan to scuttle the shi= p in the Cook Strait on Tuesday (09Feb10), reports Radio New Zealand.
The plans have proved unpopular with residents after it was revealed th= e sinking will cost tax payers $23,800 (=C2=A314,875), but council offici= als insist the ship is becoming a safety hazard and can no longer be moor= ed at the wharf.