Communities in Samoa’s Safata district are turning to China for assistance following the sinking of the New Zealand navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui off Tafitoala village in October 2024. The incident has led to maritime closures, severely impacting local livelihoods.
This week, representatives from the Chinese embassy in Apia met with Safata villagers to explore potential support avenues. District spokesperson Tuia Pu’a Leota said, “We met with the Chinese ambassador to discuss our needs, and they are willing to assist us immediately due to the sinking of the boat in our district.”
Since the sinking, fishing activities in the area have been suspended, affecting the primary source of income for many families. Tuia emphasized the community’s immediate needs, including financial assistance to offset losses. He also highlighted the desire to assess environmental damage and seek expertise for ecosystem restoration.
Efforts to secure support from the Samoan government have been met with delays. According to Tuia, the Ministry of Works, overseeing the Manawanui incident, indicated that aid decisions rest with the Prime Minister’s office.
In December, anchors were placed for a barge designed to extract fuel, oil, and other pollutants from the sunken ship. The first removal of fuel occurred at the beginning of last month, with a second cycle starting at the end of that month.
In a statement this week, the NZDF said this second cycle has now been completed. “The salvors have recovered a significant amount of liquid from tanks on the Manawanui after operating above the Manawanui for the past 17 days,” NZDF senior national representative for operation resolution, Commodore Andrew Brown, said.
An interim Court of Inquiry report released in November attributed the sinking to human error, noting that the crew failed to realize the autopilot was still engaged, leading to the vessel running aground. Rear Admiral Garin Golding emphasized that the crew should have checked if the autopilot was off, which would have prevented the accident.
The affected communities have sought compensation from the Samoan government but have yet to receive a response. New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that their immediate focus is on supporting the Samoan government but did not comment on compensation issues.
The sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui marks New Zealand’s first naval loss since World War II.
