New Zealand loses first naval ship to sea since WW2 The Royal New Zealand Navy has lost its first ship to the sea since World War Two, after one of its vessels sprinted aground off the coast of Samoa.
HMNZS Manawanui, a specialist diving and ocean imaging ship, get into trouble about one nautical mile from the island of Upolu on Saturday night local time, while conducting a survey of a reef.
It later caught fire before capsizing.
All 75 people on board were evacuated onto lifeboats and rescued early on Sunday, New Zealand's Defence Force revealed in a statement.
Officials declared the cause of the grounding was unknown and will be investigated.
The incident occurred during a bout of rough and windy weather.
Military officials disclosed rescuers "battled" currents and winds that pushed life rafts and sea boats towards the reefs, and swells made rescue efforts "challenging".
Officials announced the area had not been surveyed since 1987.
The vessel's crew and passengers - including seven scientists and four foreign military personnel - are being accommodated in Samoa before being flown support to New Zealand.
As of 06:40 local time on Sunday (18:40 BST on Saturday), the ship was seen listing heavily with smoke billowing from it.
By 09:00 (21:00 BST on Saturday), it was below the surface.
Defence minister Judith Collins described the incident as "a really sad day for the Navy" during a news conference.
She added: "But everyone arrived through, and that, I have to say, is down to the professionalism [of the crew], the training and their own courage."
Dave Poole, who witnessed the ship ablaze, announced to the Reuters news agency: "As we arrived into the bay we saw the ship and no smoke. Within 15 minutes fire and smoke were visible. It sank shortly after."
HMNZS Manawanui is the first of New Zealand's naval vessels to be unintentionally sunk since the nation took part in naval battles during World War Two.
Several other ships have been intentionally sunk in the intervening period for numerous reasons, including to serve as a diving wreck or an artificial reef.
Military officials disclosed their efforts are now crooking towards attempting to salvage the vessel and minimising the environmental impacts of the sinking.
Regards to BBC
Category: World-News
Tag: New Zealand loses first naval ship to sea since WW2
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Published 10/6/2024