By Phil Pennington, RNZ. The New Zealand Defence Force says no charges have yet been laid over the sinking of the Manawanui last year.
HMNZS Manawanui ran aground, caught fire and sank to the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Siumu, Upolu in October last year.
All 75 crew and passengers were rescued and brought to safety with the assistance of Samoa’s Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) – after the ship ran aground off the coast of Siumu in October last year.
Crew of NZ Navy ship safely to shore early hours of Sunday morning. Photos: Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority – FESA.
Multiple failures of the crew, the ship, and the Navy itself were identified in an official inquiry into last October’s sinking.
The $100 million survey ship continues to rest underwater a Samoa.
The NZDF, asked by RNZ if any personnel had been charged, said on Thursday “investigations are ongoing and no charges have been laid at this point”.
RNZ lodged Official Information Act (OIA) requests for more information about the sinking, pollution and salvage, but the force took five months to identify just a single document – then withheld it.
“The information provided within it was provided by the government of Samoa on basis of confidence,” it said.
The Manawanui’s anchor is seen on the reef shortly after the vessel went down last October. Photo: Ministry of Works Transport and Infrastructure Samoa.
Asked for copies of any reports about the impacts of the ship’s leaking fuel on the ocean and reef, the NZDF said it did not do any environmental testing itself.
It had obtained test reports, but it also withheld these because they came from the Samoan government.
Both OIA requests regards the Manawanui were lodged by RNZ in March. The response came in August.
In the meantime, the NZDF had mislaid one for several weeks and then hit other delays.
“I apologise for the significant delay in providing this response,” the chief of staff wrote.
“Unfortunately, as a result of a high volume of work, staff illness and absence, and a reduction in staffing, this request was not actioned when it was received.”
Consulting foreign and other agencies about the OIA “took much longer than anticipated” too, Motley said.
No official reports have been released to the public by the Government of Samoa.
Nearly 1000 tonnes of diesel fuel was on board HMNZS Manawanui when it sank, the Chief of Navy had said at the time.
Rear admiral Garin Golding had told RNZ Morning Report there were different types of fuel on board the ship, the largest being 950 tonnes of automotive gas oil.
Compensation for the loss of livelihoods of fishermen from the Siumu-Safata coastline, as well small business owners who relied on visiting tourists and surfers to the area, has never been discussed or addressed.
There has also never been an official apology for the environmental, social and economic impacts the sinking of the Navy ship has had on the communities in Samoa.
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