Royal Navy New Zealand divers on the scene above HMNZS Manawanui, off the Southern coast of Upulo, Samoa. Photo released October 11, 2024.
By Alasdair Pal
SYDNEY, Nov 29 (Reuters) – A Royal New Zealand Navy vessel ran aground and sank off the coast of Samoa last month as a result of human error, a government-initiated inquiry found on Friday.
HMNZS Manawanui, the navy’s specialist dive and hydrographic vessel, grounded on a reef on the southern side of Samoa, on Oct. 5 while conducting survey operations. All 75 crew members on board survived.
“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,” the head of New Zealand’s Navy Rear Admiral Gavin Golding said in a statement on Friday.
The crew did not realize the ship remained in autopilot and consequently thought its failure to respond to direction changes was the result of a thruster control failure.
The reasons why the crew failed to notice the error would be part of a wider inquiry expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year, Golding said.
A separate disciplinary process into those involved would begin once that inquiry had concluded, he added.
New Zealand’s Navy has been struggling with a lack of resources, three of its nine ships already idle due to personnel shortages before the sinking of the Manawanui.
(Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Stephen Coates)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 110,062 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
Sweden is asking a Chinese vessel to return to Swedish waters to help facilitate the Nordic country's investigation into recent breaches of undersea fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.
A Canadian-flagged bulk carrier, the Tim S. Dool, is currently hard aground on the U.S. side of the St. Lawrence River, prompting a complex salvage operation. The grounding occurred Saturday...
The investigation surrounding Chinese bulker carrier Yi Peng 3 suspected of damaging two submarine cables in the Baltic Sea continues to expand.
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 110,062 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
