New Zealand Pays $3,5M to Samoa After Lesbian Captain Crashes Navy Ship Into a Reef, Sinks It and Causes Deadly Oil Spill
New Zealand Navy Commander Yvonne Gray.
The wreck of the HMNZS Manawanui remains a significant point of controversy nearly a year after it sank.
One of only nine ships in New Zealand’s navy, the Manawanui went down off the coast of Samoa after striking a reef. The ship’s captain, Yvonne Gray, who is openly lesbian, faced intense online trolling following the incident. In response, New Zealand’s Defense Minister Judith Collins publicly condemned the “vile and misogynistic online remarks” from so-called “armchair admirals.”
However, a government inquiry later revealed that the sinking was due to human error: the crew had inadvertently left the vessel on autopilot during a maneuver that ultimately caused the accident.
The financial repercussions are now clear. New Zealand has paid Samoa 10 million Samoan Tala (approximately $3.5 million) after the crash, which led to a fire and the eventual sinking of the ship. The BBC reported that the Manawanui had begun leaking oil, causing environmental damage including dead sea turtles and oil slicks on Samoan beaches.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters confirmed the payment was made at Samoa’s request. The Manawanui was the first New Zealand naval vessel lost at sea since World War II. At the time of the accident, all 75 crew members were safely rescued while the ship listed off the coast of Upolu, Samoa.
🇳🇿 LESBIAN CAPTAIN LOSES SHIP!
The Royal NZ Navy ship’s HMNZS Manawanui sank this morning after running aground on a reef near the southern coast of Upolu, Samoa, last night and catching fire.
$100 million down the drain
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) October 6, 2024
The vessel had been conducting a survey of the seabed in an area that had not been mapped in decades when it ran aground. The incident highlights both the operational risks of naval missions and the financial cost of accidents, even in peacetime.
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