Recently, the HMNZS Manawanui sank off the coast of Samoa, after hitting a reef and catching fire.
Following the sinking, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced a Court of Inquiry, after being called on by a Samoan International Relations expert based in New Zealand.
Usually, similar incidents regarding major maritime vessels would be investigated by Maritime New Zealand, and may also be referred to the Transport Accident Investigation Commission. However, as the Manawanui was a naval vessel engaged in governmental activity, the NZDF is holding the inquiry.
News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to a Professor in the Faculty of Law at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Paul Myburgh, about what this inquiry could mean.
As well as this, an estimate of up to 200,000 litres of diesel has leaked into the ocean from the wreckage.
New Zealand's Deputy Chief of Navy, Commodore Andrew Brown, says that there is currently no evidence that the spillage has come from the main fuel tanks onboard, which appear to be intact.
This comes as the Chief of the Navy, Rear Admiral Garin Golding, told RNZ’s Morning Report that roughly 950 tonnes of diesel fuel was onboard when the HMNZS Manawanui sank.
They also spoke to a Lecturer in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago, Dr Bridie Allan, about how much of a concern the spillage is so far, and what the environmental implications of the spillage could look like.
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