Navy divers preparing to head out to area the HMNZS Manawanui now lies, off the Southern Coast of Upulo. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Defence Force
Oil seeping from the wreck of the navy's sunken survey ship is not from the ship's main tanks - but removing them is first on the list for the recovery team, the Defence Force says.
About 200,000 litres of fuel has escaped from the HMNZS Manawanui into the sea, one week after the survey ship began listing, caught fire and sank off the southern coast of Upolu, Samoa.
The ship contains about 950 tonnes of fuel, and is now lying on its side on the sea floor about 30 metres down, in a marine reserve.
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Navy deputy chief, Commodore Andrew Brown, said that was considered a small quantity of oil and it was being monitored.
"The advice from our experts and our specialist is that the very small quantities come to the surface and they commence a natural evaporation process, and also waves and general tides dissipate that.
"That fuel and oil that is coming from the vessel is very low in quantity, and we are also obviously continuing the monitoring of where that fuel goes - we're monitoring the beaches, the environment, the wildlife."
Navy divers above the spot the HMNZS Manawanui now lies, earlier this week. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Defence Force
Brown said the leaking fuel was thought to be coming from pipes, and there had been no evidence it had come from the ship's main tanks. But getting the fuel tanks off the ship as soon as possible would be given priority.
About 60 Defence Force staff have been tasked with monitoring the environmental impact of the wreck.
"We dive daily, we do shore-line patrols, and we're monitoring any remnants of the fuel and what happens to that fuel as it dissipates and moves off-shore."
New Zealand was committed to putting things right, Brown said.
The HMNZS Manawanui, aground in Samoa. Photo: Supplied / Profile Boats
While the navy was not giving up hope of removing the sunken ship from the reef, the recovery would not be a quick process, he said.
"We're committed to working with the Samoan government and we will continue to work from on-site and from back from New Zealand in supporting the overarching operation, and the removal of Manawanui."