Grounding of Royal New Zealand Navy Vessel Highlights Errors and Inadequate Training

Inquiry Finds Series of Human Errors Led to Grounding of Manawanui

A Royal New Zealand Navy vessel that ran aground and sank off the coast of Samoa last year was doomed by several errors, a government inquiry found on Friday. The inquiry highlighted inadequate training of crew and poor leadership as the main causes of the incident.

The Manawanui, a specialist dive and hydrographic vessel, grounded on a reef on the southern side of Samoa in October while conducting survey operations. All 75 crew members survived.

Crew Errors and Lack of Supervision Contributed to Grounding

A final court of inquiry report said that the crew did not identify risks related to the survey task carried out by the ship and that the supervision was not adequate. “The direct cause of the grounding has been determined as a series of human errors,” the report said.

The report also found that the crew did not realise the ship remained on autopilot and consequently thought its failure to respond to control inputs was the result of a thruster failure. The final report confirmed those findings.

Navy Chief Acknowledges Errors and Implementing Recommendations

New Zealand Navy chief Garin Golding said the report “highlighted a gap between work as imagined and work as done”, with a series of issues compounding the direct cause. Golding said the navy had already begun implementing some recommendations in the report, while others would take more time.

Government to Release Defence Capability Plans Soon

Defence minister Judith Collins told reporters that the government would release “very soon” the country’s defence capability plans, but did not give a timeframe on when it would happen. The country’s national security strategy in 2023 said the government needed to spend more money on its military as its armed forces struggle with ageing equipment and a shortage of manpower. Plans to increase spending on defence, which is less than 1% of GDP, are expected to come with the release of the defence capability plan.

Conclusion

The grounding of the Manawanui highlights the importance of adequate training and leadership in the Royal New Zealand Navy. The series of human errors that led to the incident serve as a reminder of the need for vigilance and attention to detail in the conduct of naval operations.

FAQs

Q: What was the cause of the grounding of the Manawanui?
A: A series of human errors led to the grounding of the Manawanui, including inadequate training and poor leadership.

Q: How many crew members were on board the Manawanui when it grounded?
A: There were 75 crew members on board the Manawanui when it grounded.

Q: What is the current condition of the Manawanui?
A: The Manawanui sank after it grounded, but all 75 crew members survived.

Q: What is the government doing to address the issues highlighted in the report?
A: The government is implementing the recommendations in the report and will also release the country’s defence capability plans soon.