New Zealand’s government has compensated Samoa with 10 million Samoan Tala (approximately NZD 6 million or £2.6 million) following the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui, which ran aground and caught fire in Samoan waters last year. The incident resulted in the ship leaking oil into the ocean, raising environmental concerns as it reportedly affected local wildlife, including sea turtles.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, stated that the payment was made at the request of the Samoan government. HMNZS Manawanui was part of New Zealand’s naval fleet and served as a survey vessel in areas of the sea that had not been mapped in decades. It was the first New Zealand ship lost at sea since World War Two, and all 75 individuals on board were successfully evacuated as the ship began to list near Upolu island.
While authorities observed smoke rising from the vessel as it sank, Samoan officials later indicated that not all of its fuel had burned off, leading to an oil spill from multiple locations on the ship. Efforts have been made to remove diesel fuel, oil, and other pollutants, and a New Zealand naval team is currently working on debris removal.
Peters mentioned that the New Zealand government is collaborating with Samoa to address ongoing concerns regarding the ship and its environmental impact. He emphasized that minimizing any potential ecological damage remains a priority. The New Zealand Defence Force is concluding its investigation into the incident, which has identified a series of human errors, including a failure to disengage the vessel’s autopilot, as contributing factors to the crash.
Despite the nature of the inquiry, some social media users directed negative comments at the ship’s female captain, attributing blame for the incident based on her gender. This response was condemned by New Zealand’s defence minister, who referred to the commenters as “armchair admirals.”
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx0z76nxggo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss