WHILE no decision has yet made over the final fate of the sunken HMNZS Manawanui the New Zealand Government has made a NZ$6 million payment to the Government of Samoa.
The dive support/oceanographic survey ship sank a year ago today [6 October 2024] after it ran aground the previous day on a reef off the Samoan island of Upolu during survey work, before catching fire and capsizing. All 75 passengers and crew were rescued but the wreck remains in place.
NZ deputy PM and foreign minister Winston Peters said the payment followed a request from the Government of Samoa.
“We have responded to the Government of Samoa’s request in full and with good faith. We have always said we will do the right thing,” Mr Peters said.
“We recognise the impact the sinking has had on local communities and acknowledge the disruption it caused.”
Mr Peters said NZ continues to work with Samoa on decisions around the ship and its future.
“Working with the Government of Samoa, our focus continues to be on minimising any possible environmental impacts and supporting the response. These are our absolute priorities,” Mr Peters said.
A comprehensive Court of Inquiry into the causes of the incident has been concluded and considerable work to implement the recommendations is underway, Mr Peters said. Any disciplinary proceedings that may arise are yet to be determined, but NZDF advises that the investigation is reaching its closing stages.
The Court of Inquiry attributed the grounding and loss to the failure by inadequately-trained crew to disengage the autpilot, amongst other issues.
In the annual NZ budget in late May it was revealed that Manawanui is a NZ$77 million complete total loss.
The budget papers also showed NZ$32 million had been allocated in 2024-25, for the clean-up, salvage, and other remedial activities at the shipwreck. The vessel, which was acquired from the private sector in 2019 and modified for NZDF service, was insured for salvage operations but not for replacement.
Earlier in May salvors completed work to retrieve equipment, weapons, ammunition and some debris from in and around the sunken vessel. This followed the successful removal of diesel fuel, oil and other pollutants, much of which was returned to NZ.