Underwater footage of HMNZS Manawanui in Samoa shows a slow diesel leak from an engine room pipe and vent which is causing a slight sheen on the sea’s surface.
New Zealand and Samoan teams have successfully removed an empty shipping container from a nearby reef after it came off the HMNZS Manawanui following its sinking.
An official inquiry is under way into how the Royal New Zealand Navy specialist survey and dive support vessel struck a reef and sank on the evening of October 5.
Three containers came off the Manawanui during the incident – two were empty and one contained 3000kg of food, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said in a statement.
“The NZDF is working with a local contractor, ARK Marine, to remove these containers from the reef off the south-west coast of Upolu.”
“This is challenging work, and yesterday the teams did a great job,” NZDF senior national representative Commodore Andrew Brown said.
“We are continuing with the container removal over the next few days, making sure that we are keeping people safe and with the protection of the environment in mind.”
The three 10ft (3m) containers are being floated and then towed to shore.
Aerial image showing the wreck of HMNZS Manawanui lying at the bottom of the ocean off the Southern Coast of Upolu.
Brown said the work is being carried out under the direct supervision of the Samoan authorities.
This week, activity would be scaled down to avoid disrupting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm), but both the removal of the containers and monitoring of the vessel and shoreline would continue, he said.
The HMNZS Manawanui, a specialist survey and dive support vessel, struck a reef on the evening of Saturday, October 5.
It began to list and Commander Yvonne Gray gave the order to abandon ship. A fire broke out in the engine room and the $100 million vessel sank that Sunday morning, off the south coast of the Samoan island of Upolu.
The Manawanui was carrying nearly 1000 tonnes of diesel when it sank. Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding said at a press conference a week ago that the main fuel tanks were intact.
Local village fishermen and a tour operator reported seeing oil slicks near the reef and surrounding areas where the Manawanui now lies on its side in about 30m of water.
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