Samoa’s Prime Minister says the wreck of the HMNZS Manawauni vessel can stay exactly where it sank after being presented with options regarding the vessel’s future.
The Royal New Zealand Navy ship ran aground with 75 people on board whilst conducting a hydrographic survey of a reef last October. All those on board managed to be rescued safely.
The ship has remained off the coast near Upolu, Samoa since then. Containers and fuel aboard the ship were recovered, but the vessel was not removed.
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa told 1News her cabinet were presented with a list of options regarding the wreck. (Source: 1News)
Now, after the Samoan government were presented with a list of options regarding the wreck, it has been decided the vessel safe enough to leave where it is.
“Sometimes events just take over… Nature has taken over and it’s become, you know, it’s already been incorporated into the reef so to speak,” said Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.
“I mean all the toxic elements have been removed. So it’s become an additional part, I suppose, of the reef,” she told 1News.
‘There’s no accountability’ – locals
Samoan locals from the village of Tafitoala claim they are still living with the consequences of the ship’s sinking and say they want the wreck to be taken away.
“There’s no accountability for what’s going on. No compensation, but we lost a lot of things from here,” said Tafitoala resident Faga’ilesau Afaaso Saleupu.
Local authorities have maintained a ‘no-go zone’ around the site of the wreck, making it in inaccessible for fishing.
“Eighty percent of our people rely on the sea for food. Where are the fishermen going to go now?
“We acknowledge what you did by removing the oil and some of the pollutants materials from the wreck, but the wreck is still there-that’s not clean,” Faga’ilesau said.
Village high chief Tuia Pu’a Leota said the boat has “damaged” the village’s shores.
“Our shores have been damaged, the coral reef has been damaged, the mangroves have been damaged.
“All of these damages need to be considered and need to be taken back to their natural status.” he said.
Tuia, who is standing as a candidate in the country’s general elections next month, said he will be “fighting very hard to ensure our district will get a fair compensation.”
Despite fierce opposition from locals, the Samoan government disagreed – and said they were happy with the cleanup that had been done.
New Zealand Defence said they are still completing technical and environmental analysis of the wreck and surrounding area to inform future decisions of both governments.