A New Zealand Navy ship ran aground and sank off the coast of Samoa, but everyone on board was safe.
A Royal New Zealand Navy ship has run aground and sunk off the coast of Samoa but all 75 crew and guests on board are safe, the New Zealand Defence Force says.
New Zealand Navy Commander Brigadier General Shane Arndell said the survey ship Manawanui ran aground near the coast of Upolu Island, southern Samoa on the night of October 5 while surveying coral reefs in the area.
The New Zealand Defence Force said the cause of the grounding was still unclear and further investigation was needed.
Video and photos released on local media showed the Manawanui, worth about $63.5 million, listing, sinking, and billowing thick grey smoke after running aground.
The ship then capsized and sank. New Zealand is “working with the authorities to understand the consequences and minimize the environmental impact”.
Rear Admiral Garin Golding, Chief of the New Zealand Navy, announced that a plane will depart for Samoa on September 6 to bring the 75 people aboard the ship home.
Two people were hospitalized, one with a dislocated shoulder and another with a back injury, while 12 to 15 others suffered minor cuts, scrapes, and injuries, Golding said.
“I want to determine exactly what caused it so we can learn from it and avoid a repeat,” she said, adding that the immediate focus was on saving “what’s left” of the ship.