Government and environmental authorities in Samoa 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 carrying out a reef survey when it struck the reef on Saturday night.
Seventy-five crew members and passengers were safely evacuated using liferafts and assistance from other vessels. Samoa’s fire commissioner, Tanuvasa Petone, confirmed that the ship caught fire and sank early Sunday morning after the rescue was completed. He noted that three individuals required hospital treatment, but all were safe on land, with only minor injuries reported.
Petone described the weather conditions as “quite rough and windy.” Local resident Manu, who witnessed the HMNZS Manawanui’s dangerous approach to the reef, expressed confusion over why the vessel was so close to the hazardous area. He remarked, “He must have cruised over that reef thought nothing was coming, and then all of a sudden something came. Bang.”
Manu voiced concern about the environmental consequences of the grounding, expressing hope that no oil had leaked from the ship, which could worsen the already damaged reef.
In response to the incident, Defence Minister Judith Collins, from the Devonport Naval Base, labeled it “a very sad day for the Navy.” She announced plans for a Court of Inquiry to ascertain the circumstances of the grounding, though she emphasized that it was too early to speculate on the cause. Collins stated that her current priority was to reduce environmental impacts and attempt to salvage any remnants of the HMNZS Manawanui.
Collins also mentioned that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had been briefed about the situation. Rear Admiral Garin Golding, Chief of Navy, reported that two individuals were hospitalized, one with a dislocated shoulder and another with a back injury, while an additional 12-15 crew members suffered minor injuries.
Labour’s Defence spokesperson, Peeni Henare, expressed his sympathy for the crew, stating, “I’m relieved to hear they’re all safe and out of harm’s way.” He praised the rescue efforts undertaken to assist the New Zealand crew.
The HMNZS Manawanui is a research vessel regularly performing tasks across the Pacific. In 2018, the ship was acquired and converted at a cost of $103 million, with the work completed in 2019.
Marinetraffic.com indicated that the vessel went aground near Siumu village at 10:45 PM on Saturday while carrying out a reef survey. Commodore Shane Arndell detailed that while the crew and passengers were initially evacuated onto liferafts, they were later taken ashore. The New Zealand Defence Force coordinated closely with Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre to facilitate rescue operations, involving several response vessels and a P-8A Poseidon aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Photographs from the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority depicted crew members being assisted into ambulances, and there were signs of good spirits among those rescued. The HMNZS Manawanui had departed Auckland’s Devonport naval base on September 29, 2023, and has been active in various operations, including a recent seven-week mission focused on underwater surveys and the disposal of submerged World War II bombs in the Pacific region.