Naval officers face charges over sinking of HMNZS Manawanui

Charges have been laid in relation to the loss of Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui, off the coast of Sāmoa in October 2024.

Three naval officers face a court martial.

The vessel sank off the coast of Sāmoa after hitting a reef, spilling hundreds of thousands of litres of diesel and oil into the ocean.

One officer faces a charge of negligently causing a ship to be lost and a second faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost.

If found guilty, negligently causing a ship to be lost carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

A third officer faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost, or in the alternative, negligently failing to perform a duty. In addition, the third officer faces a charge of negligently failing to perform a duty.

The HMNZS Manawanui, aground in Sāmoa. Photo: Profile Boats / supplied

A spokesperson for the defence force said the date and location of the court martial were yet to be set.

This story was first published by RNZ Pacific and has been adapted with minor stylistic edits for PMN News.