The HMNZS Manawanui ran aground, caught fire, and sank off Samoa on October 6 this year. The 75 people on board took to the lifeboats, in darkness and rough seas, and managed to escape largely unharmed.
A subsequent investigation has revealed that the accident was caused by the crew's failure to correctly check whether the autopilot was on or off, which caused the vessel to drift off course and run aground. Attempts to alter the course using other means failed. The ongoing investigation will, among other things, determine whether any individual on board, or several, can be held responsible.
The vessel was built in Norway in 2003 and was purchased by the New Zealand Navy in 2018, reportedly worth around 650 million kronor. It remains on the seabed off Upulo, Samoa. It was primarily used for seabed surveys and diving operations.
