The Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Manawanui on fire and sinking off Somoa
By Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) In a dramatic turn of events, HMNZS Manawanui, the Royal New Zealand Navy’s newly upgraded hydrographic salvage and support ship, ran aground last night during a reef survey off the southern coast of Samoa. The vessel subsequently caught fire and sank, marking the first peacetime loss of a Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) ship. While no injuries were reported, the incident resulted in an oil spill.
Videos and photos published by local media showed the Manawanui listing heavily and on fire with plumes of thick grey smoke rising after it ran aground. By 9 a.m. local time, the vessel had capsized and was “now submerged” after sinking beneath the surface, according to Reuters.
The New Zealand Defence Force stated that the cause of the grounding is currently unknown and will require further investigation. The ship was on its third deployment to the South West Pacific this year, with scheduled activities in the Kermadec Islands, Samoa, Tokelau, and Niue. It was due to return home on November 1st. The crew included seven civilian scientists and four foreigners.
The incident unfolded on Saturday evening, leading to a complex nighttime evacuation of all 75 crew members and passengers in challenging weather conditions. While New Zealand officials are praising the ship’s commanding officer, Commander Yvonne Gray, for her swift action, some question whether more could have been done to save one of only five fully operational ships in the underfunded and overworked RNZN fleet.
“Evacuating a ship at night is an incredibly complicated and difficult task,” remarked Maritime Component Commander Commodore Garin Golding. The crew began abandoning ship at 7:52 p.m., deploying into lifeboats amid challenging sea conditions. Rescuers battled strong currents and winds that pushed life rafts toward dangerous reefs, while swells added to the peril. The first sailor was rescued at 1 a.m. with the last recovered at 5:30 a.m. local time
HMNZS Manawanui Liferaft
Most personnel were transferred from life rafts onto rescue vessels. However, one small raft capsized on a reef, forcing its occupants to wade to land. Despite the harrowing circumstances, injuries were minimal: two individuals were sent to the hospital—one for a dislocated shoulder and another for a back injury—while 12 to 15 others suffered minor cuts and abrasions.
Navy ships, typically smaller with larger crews, rarely carry traditional engine-powered lifeboats. Their design emphasizes combat readiness, stealth, and operational efficiency over features found on commercial vessels. Instead, they use inflatable life rafts that drift freely but are more challenging to control in the water.
A Commanding Decision That Saved Lives
Commodore Golding praised the decisive action of Commander Yvonne Gray, stating that the swift decision to evacuate likely “prevented the loss of life.”
“The commanding officer’s swift decision to evacuate the ship likely prevented the loss of life,” he affirmed.
Her Majesty’s New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) Manawanui is her first ship command in a naval career that started in the United Kingdom in 1993. Her service as a surface warfare officer ranged from working on aircraft carriers to frigates and mine hunters. In 2012, Commander Gray and her wife Sharon moved to New Zealand after falling in love with the country during a campervan holiday.
Gray previously commanded the RNZN’s Mine Counter Measures Team. She told the press her eyes lit up at the prospect of commanding Manawanui, which had entered service with the Royal New Zealand Navy in 2019, three years before she took command in 2022.
Several vessels, coordinated by Samoa’s local fire and emergency services, responded and assisted in rescuing the crew and passengers who had evacuated the ship in lifeboats.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon was also deployed to assist in the rescue.
Video and photos published on local media this morning showed the Manawanui, which cost the New Zealand government NZ$103 million in 2018, listing heavily and with plumes of thick grey smoke rising after it ran aground.
Defence Minister Judith Collins, speaking alongside the Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding at a press conference at Devonport Naval Base, expressed deep emotion over the incident. “It was very dark and an extraordinary feat of keeping people together,” she said, holding back tears. “Everyone stayed calm, which I attribute to the professionalism, training, and courage of the crew.”
“This could have been a truly terrible day,” Collins continued, acknowledging the chances of salvaging the Manawanui are slim. She described it as a sad day for the Navy but was thankful all personnel were safe.
The sinking marks the first time the Royal New Zealand Navy has lost a ship during peacetime, a significant and sobering milestone for a once-strong naval force that today faces significant challenges due to its stunted size, woeful underfunding, and critical crewing shortages. With only nine vessels, of which just five are operational, and growing regional tensions, the RNZN struggles to monitor and defend New Zealand‘s vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Also Read: Chinese Navy Continues To Fly The Red Flag In The South Pacific
Commander Gray’s leadership during the crisis has been widely commended by New Zealand officials and media. However, the loss of this ship represents a significant blow, constituting at least 11% of New Zealand’s tiny naval fleet. This comes at a time when regional tensions and geopolitical instability are at their highest levels this century.
A captain’s duty is to protect as many lives as possible, and Commander Gray clearly took decisive and effective action to save her crew. However, unlike merchant ship captains, naval commanders bear additional responsibilities. They must also safeguard the lives of convoys, carrier groups, and citizens they’ve sworn to protect.
“What if an island faces a major catastrophe and the New Zealand Navy doesn’t have enough ships to respond?” asked a former senior US Navy officer, speaking anonymously. “Sure, she saved her crew, but how many lives might be lost in the future because damage control teams stay aboard and try to save this ship?”
According to this source, praising commanding officers for saving a small number of lives at the expense of broader strategic goals is a problem common in navies today. He cited the USS Bonhomme Richard incident, where the captain was allowed to celebrate the ship’s decommissioning ceremony after watching it burn. Meanwhile, the admiral who rushed to the docks and organized fire parties to fight for its survival has faced numerous inquiries and a delayed promotion.
“James Lawrence’s dying command in 1813 aboard USS Chesapeake—’Don’t Give Up The Ship‘—remains a bestseller at the Naval Academy gift shop, but I’m not sure midshipmen truly grasp the weight of his iconic words,” said our source.
Also read: US Navy Oiler Runs Aground, Forcing Carrier Strike Group to Scramble for Fuel
Dave Poole, a tourist on a week-long holiday in Samoa with his wife Kara, witnessed the ship’s last moments. After spotting news about the vessel on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) at 3:30 a.m., he drove 30 minutes from the capital, Apia, to the coastline.
“When we got there, it wasn’t on fire,” Poole recounted. “We watched the fire take hold, and the whole infrastructure was burning brightly. You could see it was listing over the port side, and then it just went down and was gone.” He noted that the ship sank around 8:45 a.m.
Local villagers were visibly upset by the event. “They were in church and came out to watch it go down,” Poole said. “They told us they’ve never seen a shipwreck off their coast in their living history.” The area is a marine reserve with waters that can reach depths of over two kilometers.
The Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority confirmed a fire on board but admitted they lacked the equipment to combat the blaze at sea. Instead, their focus turned to rescuing the distressed Navy personnel.
“Fortunately, no one was heavily injured and no lives were lost. We’re proud to say we saved them,” the rescuers posted on social media. They also issued a cautionary note: “If you’re unsure about our sea areas, please be careful, take caution, and stay safe.”
Photographs shared by the rescuers show Navy personnel being brought ashore on inflatable boats, some receiving medical attention. The relief is palpable on the faces of both the crew and their rescuers.
Back in England, where Commander Gray was born, King Charles—who continues to take pride in his service as a former Royal Navy officer and retains the title of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom—has remained largely silent about the sorry state of the once-formidable fleet of Commonwealth ships.
The troubles plaguing the Royal New Zealand Navy are not unique within the Commonwealth, as its Canadian counterpart faces similarly dire challenges. Despite being one of the largest countries in the world, the Royal Canadian Navy – which also experienced a flooding incident this year – is shockingly small, with just a handful of frigates and non-nuclear submarines but no destroyers. Both New Zealand and Canada struggle with outdated ships, personnel shortages, and inadequate funding, leaving them woefully underprepared to handle their vast maritime responsibilities.
It’s a disgrace that Commonwealth nations like these, which once boasted proud naval traditions, are now content with paper-thin fleets and razor-thin budgets. While the RNZN’s issues are severe, the Canadian Navy’s even smaller size—given its sheer coastline and strategic importance—makes it a glaring example of neglect, where maritime defense is an afterthought rather than a priority. It’s a damning indictment of both countries’ defense policies, signaling a dangerous complacency that leaves them vulnerable on the global stage.
Beyond New Zealand and Canada, other Commonwealth nations like Australia and the UK also reveal cracks in their naval forces, though their problems manifest differently. Australia, with its immense coastline and strategic position in the Indo-Pacific, has struggled with delayed shipbuilding programs and maintenance backlogs. While its navy is larger than New Zealand’s and it is investing heavily in the AUKUS nuclear submarine program, it remains under-resourced for the scale of its defense obligations, relying heavily on future plans rather than present readiness.
Meanwhile, the UK, once the world’s premier naval power, has seen its Royal Navy reduced to a shadow of its former self. The shrinking number of warships, a shortage of personnel, aging and poorly maintained ships, scores of incidents aboard their relatively new aircraft carriers, and now a strike on their civilian manned logistics ships all point to a navy overstretched by global commitments but starved of public support. This deterioration is especially embarrassing given the Commonwealth’s naval history and its claims of being good ally to the United States.
Across the Commonwealth, a pattern emerges: nations with proud maritime legacies now struggle to field functional fleets, leaving them increasingly reliant on the US Navy to fill the gaps. It’s a stark reminder that while these nations talk big about their global influence, their navies tell a different story of underinvestment and strategic neglect while King Charles does little to bolster public support.
HMNZS Manawanui is a relatively new ship based at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland. Manawanui is Maori for ‘steadfast’ or ‘big heart’.
The HMNZS Manawanui was a versatile hydrographic survey and diving support vessel serving the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Built in 2003 as the commercial offshore support vessel MV Edda Fonn by Norway’s Myklebust Verft shipyard, it was overhauled and commissioned into the RNZN in 2019, replacing previous dive and survey ships. The ship underwent significant upgrades in 2023. At 84 meters long with a gross tonnage of about 5,000 tons, Manawanui served as a capable platform for both diving operations and seafloor surveying. Its flexibility was one of its greatest assets, deploying remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and traditional dive teams for various maritime tasks—from explosive ordnance disposal to environmental monitoring and underwater repairs.
One of the key missions for HMNZS Manawanui has been conducting hydrographic surveys, which are crucial for charting the complex and often poorly mapped seabeds around New Zealand’s vast maritime territory. This role contributes to the safe navigation of both commercial and military vessels operating in the region. Additionally, Manawanui has been involved in international cooperation efforts, such as mine-clearing operations in the Pacific, demonstrating its ability to support multinational exercises and humanitarian missions.
In 2023, the ship took part in Operation Calypso, which involved World War II ordnance disposal in Vanuatu, as well as survey operations around Tonga, showing its importance to New Zealand’s regional commitments.
Though versatile, Manawanui also reflects the broader challenges facing the RNZN. As a repurposed commercial ship, and a relatively small one at that, it highlights the Navy’s reliance on adapting low-cost civilian technology for military use—a cost-effective but limited solution to the RNZN’s chronic underfunding. While its capabilities are valuable, they are a patchwork fix for a navy that struggles with an aging fleet and budgetary constraints. Despite these challenges, Manawanui was a critical part of the RNZN’s operational capabilities, performing essential roles across hydrography, diving support, and regional defense initiatives.
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) worked closely with Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) to coordinate the rescue efforts. Several vessels responded to the distress call, and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon was deployed. Reports suggest that the cruise ship MS Queen Elizabeth may have also assisted.
Labour’s Defence spokesperson, Peeni Henare, called the sinking “a devastating event,” expressing relief that all crew members were safe and commending those involved in the rescue.
An Air Force C-130J Hercules departed Base Auckland, carrying medical and welfare personnel along with light clean-up equipment. Plans for additional flights are underway to bring the crew and passengers back to New Zealand.
With the RNZN’s only salvage ship now in need of salvage itself, one could say the ship has truly embraced its role—perhaps too literally.
As a salvage vessel, it was tasked with the complex and dangerous work of recovering wreckage, removing obstacles, and performing underwater repairs on damaged warships—operations essential to maintaining a Navy. But with no other salvage vessels available, this vessel—once the rescuer—must now rely on outside help. The predicament highlights a critical issue: the New Zealand Navy lacks alternative resources, and a salvage ship can’t salvage itself.
This role is especially important given the size of New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the potential for maritime accidents, natural disasters, or damage during wartime operations. Ironically, what the New Zealand Navy needs most right now is a few good salvage ships capable of saving its only salvage ship.
The importance of salvage ships has wider strategic implications too.
The US Navy has drastically cut its own salvage fleet over the years, choosing instead to rely heavily on allies like New Zealand to pick up the slack. The U.S. once had a robust fleet of salvage ships to support global operations, but budget cuts and shifting priorities have reduced those numbers, forcing the Navy to depend on other nations for critical recovery operations. Many of these cuts came because the US Navy decided to focus on expensive warships and let allies focus on support, logistics and salvage ships.
This approach made sense in theory: each nation could focus on important tasks, supporting the US Navy while allowing it to concentrate on building the most lethal warships—the “pointy end of the spear.” However, a problem arose. While the US Navy took this partnership seriously, nations like Canada and New Zealand did not uphold their end. They quickly shed their lethality but also discarded the other types of vessels that were supposed to be part of the partnership bargain.
In this context, Manawanui’s role becomes even more significant, not just for New Zealand but for partners like the U.S. who increasingly lean on their allies for this specialized capability which it has mostly lost.
For nations like New Zealand this failure to live up to the bargain has deep strategic implications. In event of war what US Navy commander will send a warship to help defend New Zealand if the RNZN does not have the replenishment ships to support it nor the fireboats, ocean tugs and salvage ships to save it after enemy missiles hit?
And for those thinking this is a ‘tomorrow problem,’ it’s important to note that several civilian ships – including oil tankers – have been hit and are causing environmental damage to the Red Sea because – with Houthis launching anti-ship missiles and drones – the region is too dangerous for civilian salvage ships and NATO does not have enough naval salvage vessels to support. In fact, there is a large oil tanker burning in the Red Sea right now.
For a nation like New Zealand, which prides itself on protecting the environment and indigenous communities, this incident should be a wake-up call. Instead of using the media spotlight to explain the ship’s critical importance and the profound impact of its loss, New Zealand Navy leaders are focusing on praising the abandonment of this vital asset.
Neither Commodore Golding nor Defence Minister Collins would comment on possible causes of the sinking, stating that a Court of Inquiry would be convened to determine what happened. The NZDF is collaborating with Samoa authorities to understand the implications and minimize environmental impacts, especially given the ship sank in a marine reserve.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J left Base Auckland just after 7 pm today to Apia of approximately five hours. It will help monitor for environmental damage and is carrying medical and welfare personnel, as well as light oil spill clean-up equipment.
With only nine ships in the entire New Zealand Royal Navy the loss of just a single ship sidelines over ten percent of the navy’s capabilities. This is the equivalent of the US Navy losing 30 ships which is not far from the most recent number.
Last month The US Navy and Military Sealift Command (MSC) announced plans for a “great reset” by laying up seventeen logistics and support ships, which could free up 600-700 sailors and improve crew availability for newer support vessels like the John Lewis-class fleet oilers. These ships have been delivered but remain undeployed due to critical US Merchant Mariner shortages. MSC’s mariners faced grueling schedules, worsened by strict COVID-19 measures that prevented shore leave, leading to a severe retention crisis. Mariners, citing poor work-life balance, began quitting faster than MSC could replace them. This neglect and mismanagement over years led to the plan to sideline ships and stabilize the workforce.
Also Read: Op-Ed: U.S. Merchant Mariner Shortage Demands Action Now
Seventeen ships represent approximately five percent of the US Navy fleet. On a strictly percentage basis, this is roughly half the impact New Zealand has suffered with the loss of the HMNZS Manawanui.
Attrition rates for RNZN are also major concern, exacerbated by low pay and difficult COVID-19 duties, have severely affected crew availability, particularly among experienced personnel. High operational tempo and delayed maintenance have left ships looking worn, tired, and stained with rust… a poor recruiting poster for young New Zealanders looking to serve their nation.
Although the Royal New Zealand Navy claims recruitment and retention efforts are improving, it will take time to rebuild the Navy’s capabilities and this answer does not explain how an island nation with a rich maritime history and over five million people can’t recruit enough people to man such a small fleet.
Despite this massive recruiting crisis, RNZN admirals remain optimistic. They claim that leveraging uncrewed technologies and innovative training methods can “enhance operational readiness and national security requirements.”
At least, that’s what they said before the HMNZS Manawanui sunk.
Moreover, the situation is even more dire. According to Naval News, New Zealand’s deployable fleet is significantly smaller than the reported nine ships. Both of the RNZN’s Protector class offshore patrol vessels are currently mothballed due to crew shortages. With HMNZS Manawanui now lost, the RNZN is left with just five operational vessels: the auxiliary replenishment ship HMNZS Aotearoa( deployed in Asia), the strategic sealift vessel HMNZS Canterbury, two Anzac class frigates—HMNZS Te Kaha (in Australia) and HMNZS Te Mana—and the inshore patrol vessel HMNZS Tupao.
HMNZS Manawanui, departed from Devonport Naval Base on September 28, and had a core crew of 39 but could supposedly accommodate up to 66 personnel. Built in 2003 and commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy in 2019, the vessel was used for specialist diving, salvage, and hydrographic tasks around New Zealand and the southwest Pacific.
The ship was on its third deployment to the South West Pacific this year, with scheduled activities in the Kermadec Islands, Samoa, Tokelau, and Niue. It was due to return home on November 1.
Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding told a press conference in Auckland that a plane would leave for Samoa on Sunday to bring the rescued crew and passengers back to New Zealand.
As the Navy grapples with the loss of HMNZS Manawanui, attention shifts to several critical tasks: securing the environment, preventing further oil leakage from the wreck, supporting the crew, and learning from the incident. Commodore Golding emphasized the collaborative efforts that ensured the safety of all personnel, stating, “We are deeply grateful for the assistance of everyone involved.”
Defence Minister Collins summed up the collective sentiment: “This could have been a truly terrible day—but everyone came through.”
Time will tell us the full story but we will have to wait. Marine investigations typically take at least a year and the Royal New Zealand Navy said it’s focused on preventing environmental damage to the Somoa coast, not the broader questions this incident raises.
The sinking of HMNZS Manawanui is not just a loss of a vital naval asset—it’s a wake-up call for New Zealand’s underfunded and overstretched navy. While the crew’s survival is a testament to their training and the decisive leadership of Manawanui’s captain Yvonne Gray, the incident exposes deeper vulnerabilities in the RNZN’s capabilities and questions about if more should have been done to try and save this important ship. As regional tensions rise and maritime challenges grow, New Zealand must reevaluate its naval strategy or risk facing future crises with even fewer resources at its disposal. This tragic event underscores the urgent need for investment in a fleet critical to both national security and environmental stewardship.
Read Next: New Zealand Warships Now Permitted to Call on US Ports, 28-Year Ban Ended
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