The Commissioner of the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority has confirmed that the NZ Navy vessel which ran aground near the southern coast of Upolu has unfortunately sunk.
According to RNZ, the vessel caught fire on Sunday, leading to its sinking.
All individuals aboard the ship were successfully rescued prior to the sinking.
HMNZS Manawanui, the navy’s specialized dive and hydrographic vessel, is known for its operations across the Pacific.
It was commissioned into the navy fleet in 2019 at a cost of $147 million.
The ship was reported as ‘aground’ near the village of Siumu on the southern side of Upolu around 10:45 pm on Saturday, as per Marinetraffic.com’s ship tracker.
Commodore Shane Arndell, Maritime component commander, stated that the grounding incident occurred during a reef survey.
All 75 crew and passengers were safely evacuated onto life rafts and then brought ashore by rescuers.
“They are currently receiving support either in Samoa or on assisting vessels,” Arndell mentioned.
“The New Zealand Defence Force collaborated closely with Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) to coordinate the rescue operations. Multiple vessels responded and aided in the rescue of crew and passengers. A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft was also dispatched.”
Images shared by the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority depicted crew members being transferred into ambulances and life rafts being brought ashore. Overall, individuals seemed to be in good spirits.
HMNZS Manawanui set sail from Auckland’s Devonport naval base for the Pacific on September 29.
As per the Defence Force website, the vessel has a primary crew of 39 members. It has been operational since November 2019 and can reach a maximum speed of 14 knots (26km/h).
In November 2023, it played a key role in a seven-week operation to conduct underwater surveys and assist in the disposal of submerged World War II bombs in Niue, Fiji, and Vanuatu.
“Some of our crew members come from Pacific nations, so for them, our deployments to the Pacific are a way to give back to their communities,” stated Commanding Officer Yvonne Gray during that time.
