A New Zealand Navy ship, the HMNZS Manawanui, sank off the coast of Samoa due to human error after the crew failed to disengage the vessel's autopilot, according to the findings of a recent Court of Inquiry. The incident, which occurred on October 5, marked the first time New Zealand had lost any naval vessel since World War II. Fortunately, all 75 crew members onboard were evacuated safely before the ship ran aground, caught fire, and eventually sank.
Rear Admiral Garin Golding, who provided insights from the inquiry, explained, "The direct cause of the grounding has been determined as a series of human errors which meant the ship’s autopilot was not disengaged when it should have been.” Instead of recognizing the issue with the autopilot, the crew mistakenly believed the ship was experiencing thruster control failures, leading to their lack of appropriate response. This failure to check whether the ship had switched out of autopilot mode resulted in continued navigation toward land, culminating in the grounding.
Golding reiterated the importance of checking the autopilot status before making any directional changes, stating, "This check did not occur. Remaining in autopilot resulted in the ship maintaining its course toward land, until grounding and eventually stranding." The full report will provide more details as the inquiry continues, expected to last until early next year, when possible disciplinary actions against those directly involved would take place.
During the interim findings, Samoan officials expressed their thoughts on the human aspects of such accidents. Afioga Fui Tupai Mau Simanu, chair of Samoa's Marine Pollution Advisory Committee, stated, "We're humans and those things happen," emphasizing the inevitability of human error, albeit one with serious repercussions. The focus now has turned to the salvaging operations necessary to manage the spill from the wreckage, expected to commence shortly.
Meanwhile, preparations for extraction efforts are underway, with various equipment arriving for the operation. Some of this equipment had already reached Samoa, including specialized tools to siphon fuel from the ship's wreck. Simanu noted some extraction tools had arrived, but the arrival of a New Zealand barge to assist has been delayed, which adds to the urgency surrounding the wreck as cyclone season begins. He stressed the need to act swiftly, as hundreds of thousands of liters of fuel remain trapped inside the sunken vessel, potentially leading to environmental disaster.
Significantly, officials from the U.S. Coast Guard are also on-site to oversee the extraction process, ensuring transparency and the avoidance of conflicts of interest. This kind of international cooperation is often seen as both beneficent and necessary for local communities, who continue to watch vigilantly as recovery efforts begin. With local waters at risk, the situation is being monitored closely, with divers assessing the current flow of diesel fuel, which has been noted as a persistent slow leak.
The sinking of the Manawanui has led to increased scrutiny of the Navy’s operational protocols. Golding addressed public concern, promising the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) will improve its procedures. "This has had an impact on our reputation," he stated, acknowledging the need to regain public trust following the incident. Staff training, readiness, and planning are among the areas identified for improvement moving forward.
High-profile reviews and legislative inquiries continue to process the lessons learned from the Manawanui mishap. While the crew's actions are being investigated, officials remain emphatic about learning from these mistakes to prevent such occurrences from happening again. The investigation and upcoming inquiries will facilitate greater accountability and potentially lead to enhanced training regimens within the NZDF.
Despite the oversight of this tragedy, the ship was regarded as a specialized vessel primarily used for hydrographic surveys and marine environmental assessments. It was equipped to contribute to both national and regional security operations, highlighting the enormity of losing such capabilities.
Moving forward, officials are hopeful about the restoration and cleanup, which involves securing the area and carefully evaluating the maritime environment's health. The overarching goal is not only to recover from the physical wreck but to restore community confidence and safeguard marine ecology from adverse effects arising from the incident.