UAS footage of RNZN Divers surveying the area around HMNZS Manawanui on the Southern Coast of Upulo as part of Op Resolution. 25 October 2024 Photo: New Zealand Defence Force
Polluting fuel remains on the navy ship Manawanui that sunk on a Samoan reef, almost two months on from when the Defence Force expected it would have got all of it off.
However, the NZDF has not said just how much is left on the ship.
Instead, it repeated a figure from four weeks ago, when it had got 340,000 litres of diesel and other pollutants off.
Defence originally said a thousand tonnes of diesel was on board - about a million litres.
Samoa has said 200,000 litres leaked out.
Defence was now in the "third cycle" of salvage but bad weather in January and again more recently held up the salvors, who had to move their barge to shelter, head of Operation Resolution Group Captain Rob Shearer said.
The sunk ship's position right on the reef edge makes conditions worse.
RNZ repeatedly asked Defence how much fuel of all types was still on board but it did not say.
"We continue to do everything we can to mitigate any possible impacts on the marine and coastal environment," Shearer said in a statement.
Defence told MPs in early December the job would start soon and take 'around 20 days' depending on the weather.
"Our NZDF-contracted salvors are working hard through cycle three to remove diesel fuel, oil and other pollutants from HMNZS Manawanui, using their experience and expertise to locate remaining tanks and in some cases compartments, removing their contents."
