Sailors fought fire at sea on Anzac warship

A fire broke out on the Anzac frigate HMNZS Te Mana as the warship exercised off the coast of Australia last month, the navy revealed today.

The fire was classified as minor and no one was hurt. However, it was serious enough for the ship's commanding officer Commander Wilson Trumper to order the ship's Seasprite naval helicopter to divert and land on Te Mana's sister ship, the Australian Anzac frigate HMAS Stuart which was also taking part in the exercise.

The ship was exercising as part of Exercise Tasmanex when fire broke out near the port funnel late at night.

The navy magazine Navy Today said the fire was put out by a "well-trained and responsive ship's company" and the ship was back in operation within 90 minutes. It was firing its main gun in the exercise within a few hours.

The ship is out of New Zealand for nearly six months after acting as guard ship at Waitangi during Waitangi Day and sailing for Australia.

- NZPA