Samoan authorities and environmental agencies are on high alert following the fire and sinking of a New Zealand Navy ship off Upolu’s south coast. The HMNZS Manawanui, a specialized dive and hydrographic vessel, was conducting a reef survey when it ran aground on Saturday night.
All 75 crew members and passengers were evacuated from the ship using liferafts and boats that came to their aid. Samoa’s fire commissioner, Tanuvasa Petone, reported that the vessel caught fire and sank on Sunday morning after a successful rescue operation. There were three individuals from the crew who required hospital treatment.
“They are all safe and sound, apart from a few with minor injuries, who were treated at the site before being transferred to the hospital,” Petone stated, noting that the sea conditions were “quite rough and windy.”
Manu, a local resident, expressed confusion over why the HMNZS Manawanui was navigating so close to the reef. He described the nautical dangers, explaining that the vessel likely underestimated the risk given recent swell conditions.
Concerns were raised about the environmental ramifications of the grounding, with Manu hoping there would be no oil leakage affecting the already vulnerable reef.
Judith Collins, New Zealand’s Defence Minister from the Devonport Naval Base, conveyed her sorrow regarding the incident. Collins announced a Court of Inquiry will take place to investigate the circumstances leading to the grounding, emphasizing that it is too early to speculate on the causes. Her primary focus is on mitigating environmental damage and salvaging the wreck if feasible.
Collins informed that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had been briefed about the situation. Rear Admiral Garin Golding, Chief of Navy, confirmed the hospitalization of two crew members, one suffering from a dislocated shoulder and another with a back injury, while several others sustained minor injuries.
Peeni Henare, Labour’s Defence spokesperson, referred to the incident as devastating, voicing relief that the crew was safe and expressing gratitude for the rescue efforts coordinated for the New Zealand crew.
The Defence Force expects to release further information about the incident in the coming days.
The HMNZS Manawanui, which serves as the navy’s dedicated dive and hydrographic vessel, routinely undertakes important missions across the Pacific. The ship, whose purchase and conversion cost around $103 million, was completed in 2019.
On Saturday at 10:45 PM, maritime tracking showed the vessel grounded near Siumu. Commodore Shane Arndell reported that the grounding occurred during a reef survey. The crew and passengers were initially evacuated onto lifeboats before being brought ashore.
With the New Zealand Defence Force collaborating with Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre, multiple vessels assisted in the rescue operation, which also saw the deployment of a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon.
Photos released by the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority depicted crew members being carried to ambulances, with many appearing to be in good spirits after the ordeal.
The HMNZS Manawanui had departed from Auckland’s Devonport Naval Base for Pacific operations on September 29. It has a standard crew of 39 and has been operational since November 2019, with a maximum speed of 14 knots. In November 2023, the ship participated in underwater surveys and the disposal of WWII ordnance in Niue, Fiji, and Vanuatu. Commanding Officer Yvonne Gray noted the significance of these deployments for crew members from Pacific nations as a way of contributing positively to their communities.