An official inquiry has revealed that a New Zealand naval vessel, HMNZS Manawanui, which crashed into a coral reef, caught fire, and eventually sank, was left on autopilot. The crew believed the ship was under manual control while navigating Samoan waters, leading to the incident. Fortunately, all 75 people aboard were safely evacuated. However, the submerged ship began leaking oil into the ocean, raising environmental concerns for nearby coastal communities.

The HMNZS Manawanui was the first New Zealand naval ship lost since World War II, representing a significant blow to the country’s modest fleet of nine naval vessels. The initial report from the inquiry, released on Friday, revealed that crew members had misinterpreted a problem with the ship’s thruster as the cause of their inability to steer the vessel. None of them checked whether the ship was still on autopilot before it ran aground.

Navy Chief Garin Golding attributed the grounding to a series of human errors, citing failure to verify the autopilot setting as a key oversight. “Muscle memory from the person in control should have leaned over to that panel and checked whether the screen said autopilot or not,” he explained. Golding pledged to restore public trust, acknowledging his responsibility as Chief of Navy. He also announced that a disciplinary process involving three unnamed crew members would follow the completion of the inquiry, expected next year.

Efforts to mitigate environmental damage are ongoing, with divers monitoring a slow oil leak and equipment en route to Samoa to remove fuel and pollutants. However, authorities have not announced plans to recover the sunken ship, which sank after striking a reef during rough weather while conducting a survey off Upolu Island.

The incident also sparked online controversy, with some social media users blaming the ship’s female captain for the disaster. These remarks were strongly condemned by New Zealand’s Defence Minister, who dismissed such criticism as coming from “armchair admirals.”

This tragic event has highlighted both the environmental risks and the operational challenges faced by naval fleets, underscoring the importance of rigorous protocols and accountability in maritime operations.