HMNZS MANAWANUI
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300 metre ban ordered after illegal diving was detected
Illegal diving and forced entry at the wreck of the HMNZS 'Manawanui' have prompted the Samoan government to increase surveillance of the vessel off the south coast of Upolu. The Samoan government has ordered a 300-metre radius ban around the vessel, saying it poses significant risks to divers, fisherman and small craft. All diving within the 300 metre Prohibited Area around the 'Manawanui' is prohibited unless authorised by Samoa's Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure. The ban will remain in force until the MPAC is satisfied the wreck is stable, all pollution risks have been mitigated and the area is safe for navigation and public activity. The Marine Pollution Advisory Committee (MPAC) swill be more closely monitoring the wreck following reports of divers in the vicinity. The government had a statutory duty under the Shipping Act to prevent unsafe interaction with marine hazards. Fivers risked getting tangled or trapped in ropes and cables and the wreck was unstable. Wreckage could threat boats that may be operating nearby. There was a risk of pollutants being released, with lubricants still embedded in piping systems. When pipes corrode and break, chemicals could leak. The committee has also imposed a ban on manned and unmanned aircraft flying below 500 feet above sea level over the zone, in alignment with IMO and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines for wreck sites and pollution response. It is also stipulated in the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea Article 60, where a Coastal State is allowed to establish a safety zone of up to 500 metres around a dangerous zone. Signs of unauthorised activity were found during a recent survey of the ship. A team of Royal New Zealand Navy diving personnel would travel to Samoa to conduct an extensive survey the wreck and carry out remediation work. The government was planning to secure the wreckage by stabilising the ship, containing pollutants and controlling access to the site. It will erect navigational warnings and continue constant monitoring.
Charges laid in sinking case
Charges have been laid in the Court Martial of New Zealand in relation to the loss of the HMNZS 'Manawanui', which sank off the coast of Samoa in October 2024. The ship hit a reef, then started sinking, caught fire and eventually capsized. Its captain, Commander Yvonne Gray, made an order to abandon ship. The wreck of the ship remains on the sea floor in Samoa. Nearly 18 months on, three naval officers have been charged with offences under the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971. One officer faces a charge of negligently causing a ship to be lost, while a second officer faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost. A third officer faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost, or in the alternative, negligently failing to perform a duty. The date and location of a trial in the Court Martial are yet to be set.
Fuel sheen reported off Upolu
New Zealand's Defence Force were continuing to monitor the wreck of the HMNZS 'Manawanui' after a fuel sheen was reported off the south coast of Samoa's island of Upolu. NZDF personnel and divers from Samoa have found no evidence of a leak or sheen, and water samples have been taken for analysis. The absence of a sheen and any evidence of a leak suggested there was either an intermittent discharge of trapped fuel from a pump or pipe, or the sheen originated from another source such as a passing vessel. Events such as this will occur from time to time as the wreck settles and begins to degrade and as traffic in the vicinity of the wreck begins to normalise. The salvors hired to pump the fuel and other pollutants from the ship following the sinking were very thorough in searching all tanks as well as compartments that could likely contain fuel. In March 2025 at the conclusion of salvage work to remove diesel fuel and other pollutants we advised that there may be a very small amount of residual fuel remaining somewhere in the vessel. An NZDF engineering report concluded that if there was fuel remaining on the vessel it would be trace amounts only, and if any escaped it would likely quickly disperse through wind and wave action.
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