The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) has lost its first vessel at sea since the Second World War.
The offshore support vessel HMNZS Manawanui was conducting a hydrographic survey on 5 October 2024, one nautical mile from the southern coast of the Samoan island of Upolu, when it ran aground on a reef.
According to the RNZN media centre, “The 75 crew and passengers began evacuating into lifeboats at 7.52 pm on Saturday 5 October. The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) worked closely with the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) who led the rescue effort. Numerous vessels responded to provide assistance and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon [maritime patrol aircraft] was also deployed to assist.
“Rescuers battled currents and winds that were pushing the life rafts and sea boats toward the reefs, and swells made the rescue effort particularly challenging,” the RNZN noted.
Those on board the life boats and sea boats from HMNZS Manawanui were transferred to vessels that responded to the rescue call and were transported ashore. All on board the ship were safely evacuated.
On 6 October the RNZN stated, “At this stage the exact cause of the grounding is unknown and this will need further investigation. At 6.40 am Sunday [6 October] the ship was listing heavily and smoke was visible from the ship. At 9.00 am it was known to have capsized and was below the surface. The NZDF is working with authorities to understand the implications and minimise the environmental impacts.”
New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins has stated that there will now be a court of inquiry to establish exactly what led to the loss of the ship.
HMNZS Manawanui had only entered operational service in early 2020, having been purchased as the civilian survey vessel MV Edda Fonn in 2018 and commissioned on 7 June 2019. Its loss will be keenly felt in New Zealand’s small navy; along with two Anzac-class frigates, two offshore patrol vessels and two smaller patrol vessels, the RNZN featured three auxiliaries, of which HMNZS Manawanui was one. The only other vessels in RNZN service are two landing craft and three smaller craft.
