A New Zealand Navy ship, HMNZS Manawanui, sank in Samoan waters after striking a coral reef, with an official inquiry revealing the ship had been left on autopilot. The incident, which occurred during rough weather, marks New Zealand's first naval loss since World War II.
All 75 crew members aboard were evacuated safely. However, the sunken vessel began leaking oil, sparking environmental concerns in nearby coastal villages. Divers continue to monitor the slow leak as equipment is being prepared to remove fuel and pollutants from the wreckage.
The preliminary inquiry report released Friday highlighted that crew members mistook autopilot for manual control, believing the ship's thruster had malfunctioned when they were unable to change direction. Navy Chief Garin Golding attributed the grounding to "a series of human errors," emphasizing that proper checks could have prevented the crash.
A separate disciplinary process involving three crew members is expected to follow the inquiry, which will conclude next year. Golding apologized to the public, pledging to restore trust in the Navy.
Social media criticism targeting the ship’s female captain, blaming her gender for the incident, was denounced by New Zealand’s defence minister as unfounded "armchair admiral" commentary.
New Zealand authorities have not announced plans to recover the wrecked ship.
