New Zealand Navy ship has run aground off the coast of Samoa

A New Zealand Defence Force ship has run aground off the Samoan island of Upolu. The HMNZS Manawanui is a specialist diving and hydrographic survey vessel for the navy that regularly operates in the Pacific.

The shipping tracker at Marinetraffic.com showed the ship “broken anchor” near the village of Siomo on the south side of Upolu at 10.45 pm on Saturday.

Navy Commander Commodore Sean Arundel said the grounding occurred while he was conducting a reef survey.

“The safety of the people is our priority,” Arundel said. “All 78 people on board are currently in lifeboats and their whereabouts have been reported.”

“The New Zealand Defence Force is working closely with the Rescue Coordination Centre to coordinate the rescue effort,” he added.

“A Royal New Zealand Air Force P8 aircraft has been dispatched to assist,” Adel said further updates would be provided once information became available.

HMNZS Manawanui left Auckland’s Devonport Naval Base for the Pacific on September 29.

According to the Defense Force website, the ship has a core crew of 39 people. It has been operational since November 2019 and has a top speed of 14 knots (26 km/h).

In November 2023, it was used for a seven-week underwater survey and assisted in disposing of underwater bombs in Niue, Fiji, and Vanuatu.

“Some of our crews are from Pacific countries, so for them, our deployment to the Pacific is a way of giving back to the community,” Commander Yvonne Gray said.