Susana Leiataua in Samoa
The HMNZS Manawanui, aground in Samoa. Photo: Supplied / Profile Boats
The process of salvaging the sunken HMNZS Manawanui has begun as diesel continues to leak from the wreck.
"The recovery efforts will take time but New Zealand is committed to doing the right thing. We're committed to working with the Samoan government and we will continue to work on site and back from New Zealand in supporting the overarching operation and the removal of Manawanui," New Zealand's Deputy Chief of Navy, Commodore Andrew Brown said.
Commodore Brown is leading New Zealand's Operation Resolution which included 60 personnel who have come to Samoa for the recovery and clean up of the sunken vessel.
"We're taking this very, very seriously and we're working hand-in-glove with the Samoan government and with our other agencies such as Maritime New Zealand. Our priorities remain mitigating any possible impacts on the environment following the sinking of Manawanui," Commodore Brown said.
Samoa's government agencies and the Pacific regional environment body SPREP (the Sectretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme) are part of Samoa's Maritime Pollution Advisory Committee which also includes support from Samoa Ocean Strategy.
"We're doing daily underwater footage capture and we are identifying fuel trickling from the vessel. In fact I understand that New Zealand Defence Force has released video footage of that overnight.
"There is still no evidence of that from the main fuel tanks. They appear to be intact. And our initial technical estimates indicate that up to 200,000 litres of fuel have potentially leaked from the vessel," Commodore Brown said.
The Defence Force has since said the amount of diesel leaking from the wreck is significantly less than this initial estimate.
It said based on the size of the diesel seen on the water, the leak was much smaller, although it could not give a new figure for how big it might be.
The HMNZS Manawanui ran aground on the Tafitoala Reef on Saturday 6 October and the following morning it caught fire and sank.
The New Zealand Defence Force said 950 tonnes of diesel were on board when it went down. There are about 1200 litres in a tonne.
An insurance surveyor with expertise in salvage and recovery is in Samoa working with New Zealand's Operation Resolution.
"He and we have commenced that activity and that involves communicating with salvage companies all over the world to come together and assist us in the removal of the fuel from the vessel," Commodore Brown said.
Fuel leaking from the Manawanui is "very low in quantity, and we're also obviously continuing the monitoring of where that fuel goes once it surfaces. We're monitoring the beaches, the environment, the wildlife etcetera etcetera right around the immediate area," he said.
Samoa Maritime Pollution Advisory Committee chair Fui Tupai Mau Simanu. Photo: RNZ / Louise Ternouth
Samoa's Maritime Pollution Advisory Committee has divers continuing to scan the seabed to find debris belonging to the Manawanui, and they are awaiting the results of water contamination tests.
"Divers are back to the site today to gather more information so that a plan to stop the fuel leakage can be executed ASAP. Ultimately the plan is to remove the remaining fuel," said Fui Tupai Mau Simanu, the chair of the Samoa Maritime Pollution Advisory Committee.
The committee has reported substantial damage to the reef from the Manawanui's collision and friction from its anchor and the primary area of damage covered 5000 square metres.
New Zealand does not have a timeline for when the diesel will be removed from the vessel or its salvage.
"I can assure you this is not a slow effort. We are going at the absolute pace that we can. It's a very complex situation. Even the diving operations are very complex at depth and tidal and weather situations," Commodore Brown said.
"We've got plenty of New Zealand Defence Force and other government agencies here working at pace. It is something that we cannot rush. But we also absolutely have to work at pace with respect to this."
Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has apologised directly to Samoan leadership for the navy ship's sinking.
Luxon said he had consistently conveyed New Zealand's apologies for the unfortunate accident to the Samoan Prime Minister and acting-Prime Minister.
Both New Zealand and Samoa were focused on the task at hand, which was first and foremost limiting the environmental impact, he said.