New Zealand Pays Samoa $6M Over HMNZS Manawanui Sinking

A year after the HMNZS Manawanui sank off the coast of Upolu, Samoa, New Zealand has paid approximately NZD 6 million in compensation to the Samoan government following a request from Samoa. The naval ship ran aground on a reef and subsequently caught fire and sank, causing environmental concerns such as oil spills and sea turtle deaths. An official Court of Inquiry found the grounding was due to human error and failure to disengage the autopilot, and also highlighted that the crew was undertrained and the ship was not properly equipped for its hydrographic survey task. Both governments continue to collaborate on managing the environmental impact and deciding the ship's future. The compensation deal addresses damages to the reef and losses to local fishing and tourism, which had been longstanding concerns among village elders. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters emphasized their commitment to doing the right thing and minimizing environmental harm.