A military Court of Inquiry’s final report, released in Wellington, New Zealand, identified a lack of training, qualifications, and experience among the crew of a New Zealand navy ship that ran aground, caught fire, and sank off the coast of Samoa in October 2024. The 120-page report highlighted a dozen failings of the crew, ship, and the New Zealand Navy that led to the loss of the HMNZS Manawanui. Among the deficiencies were crew members not realizing the vessel was on autopilot and mistaken beliefs about the ship’s operations as it headed towards a reef.
All 75 individuals on board were safely evacuated as the ship foundered about a mile off the coast of Upolu, Samoa. The loss of HMNZS Manawanui was the first at sea for New Zealand since World War II. The Court of Inquiry, tasked with determining the cause of the sinking, uncovered problems such as insufficient training, lack of qualified personnel, and inadequate risk management.
The report also highlighted the precarious state of New Zealand’s navy, emphasizing the need for a significant improvement in the country’s military capabilities. Defense Minister Judith Collins expressed concern over the situation, stressing the importance of addressing the navy’s challenges. The aging military hardware and staffing issues have posed ongoing challenges for the defense agency.
The Court of Inquiry could not assign guilt but recommended a separate disciplinary investigation for individual crew members. The report included a transcript detailing the events on the ship’s bridge, illustrating the challenges faced by the crew during the incident. While Rear Admiral Garin Golding acknowledged the impact on the navy’s reputation, he emphasized the importance of learning from the experience to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui raised environmental concerns, with fears of damage to the reef ecosystem and demands for compensation from affected communities. New Zealand’s military has been working to remove pollutants from the sunken ship and salvage equipment and weapons. The salvage efforts continue as the ship remains at the site of the sinking.
The military stated that the water and marine life in the region are considered “uncontaminated,” as per Samoa’s scientific research agency. A determination regarding the potential removal of the ship has yet to be finalized.
