Source: Radio New Zealand
UAS footage of RNZN Divers surveying the area around HMNZS Manawanui on the Southern Coast of Upulo as part of Op Resolution. New Zealand Defence Force
Illegal diving and forced entry at the wreck of HMNZS Manawanui have prompted the Samoan government to increase surveillance of the navy vessel.
The Royal New Zealand Navy ship sank in October 2024 off the south coast of Upolu after hitting a reef, spilling hundreds of thousands of litres of diesel and oil into the ocean.
Three naval officers are now facing a court martial – a specialised military court that tries members of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The charges include negligently causing a ship to be lost, which is punishable by up to two years in prison.
The Samoan government has ordered a 300-metre radius ban around the vessel, saying it poses significant risks to divers, fisherman and small craft.
Its Marine Pollution Advisory Committee (MPAC) said the vessel will be more closely monitored following reports of divers in the vicinity.
MPAC’s chair Fui Tupai Mau Simanu said the government had a statutory duty under the Shipping Act to prevent unsafe interaction with marine hazards.
He said divers risked getting tangled or trapped in ropes and cables and the wreck was unstable.
“It could suddenly shift due to currents and tides, and wreck material could threaten boats that may be operating nearby,” Simanu said.
He said there was a risk of pollutants being released, with lubricants still embedded in piping systems.
“When pipes corrode and break these chemicals will leak out into the ocean,” he said.
The committee has also imposed a ban on manned and unmanned aircraft flying below 500ft above sea level over the zone.
However, he said commercial air traffic at cruising altitude is not affected, as only low-level drone activity is regulated.
“It is Standard Practice in Maritime Emergency Zones. It aligns with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines for wreck sites and pollution response.”
“It is also stipulated in the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea Article 60, where a Coastal State is allowed to establish a safety zone of up to 500 metres around a dangerous zone,” he said.
The New Zealand Defence Force’s Manawanui response lead Captain Rodger Ward told RNZ Pacific that signs of unauthorised activity were found during a recent survey of the ship.
“Unauthorised diving on HMNZS Manawanui is an unsafe practice and creates a risk of injury and to life,” Ward said.
“There is currently a 300 metre Prohibited Area around Manawanui providing a safety buffer zone, with all diving within that zone prohibited unless authorised by Samoa’s Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure.”
He said a team of Royal New Zealand Navy diving personnel would travel to Samoa to conduct an extensive survey the wreck and carry out remediation work.
The ban will remain in force until the MPAC is satisfied the wreck is stable, all pollution risks have been mitigated and the area is safe for navigation and public activity.
The government said it plans to “secure” the wreckage by stabilising the wreck, containing pollutants and controlling access to the site.
It will also erect navigational warnings and continue constant monitoring.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
