New Zealand’s government has provided Samoa with a significant financial package, amounting to 10 million Samoan Tala (approximately NZD 6 million or £2.6 million). This compensation follows the unfortunate incident where one of its naval ships, the HMNZS Manawanui, collided with a reef in Samoan waters over a year ago, subsequently catching fire and sinking.
The grounding of the HMNZS Manawanui led to concerns about environmental damage, as the vessel began leaking oil into the ocean. Reports indicated that sea turtles were affected, and oil slicks were observed on nearby Samoan beaches.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, stated that the payment was made at the specific request of Samoa. The HMNZS Manawanui was a significant loss for New Zealand’s naval fleet, being the first vessel lost at sea since World War Two. At the time of the incident, it was engaged in surveying a poorly mapped area of the sea floor.
All 75 crew members aboard were safely evacuated as the ship listed off the coast of Upolu island, exactly one year prior to this update. Despite initial observations of smoke, official reports confirmed that not all fuel had been consumed, leading to ongoing oil leaks and environmental worries.
New Zealand naval teams have been working to remove debris and pollutants from the grounded vessel. Minister Peters emphasized the government’s commitment to collaborating with Samoa on decisions regarding the ship’s future and acknowledged the impact the sinking had on local communities, pledging to minimize environmental consequences and support the ongoing response efforts.
An inquiry into the crash identified a series of human errors, including the critical failure to disengage the ship’s autopilot, as the primary cause. The incident also drew attention to online commentary, with some social media users making unfounded claims about the female captain’s gender being a factor, comments that were strongly refuted by New Zealand’s defence minister at the time.