HMNZS Manawanui Officers Face Charges Over Ship Sinking

The Royal New Zealand Navy has brought unprecedented court martial charges against three of its senior officers over the October 2024 sinking of HMNZS Manawanui—a $100 million hydrographic vessel that ran aground off Samoa’s coast. The charges, certified on 2 March 2026, mark the first time RNZN has pursued such proceedings for negligence in losing a ship. Defence Minister Judith Collins called the rescue of all 75 crew a “triumph given the very difficult circumstances.”

Sinking Date: October 2024 · Location: Off coast of Samoa · Ship Value: $100m · Officers Charged: At least two · Charges Laid: March 2026

Six critical data points define one of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s most serious peacetime incidents.

What are the charges laid in the sinking of the HMNZ Manawanui?

Negligently causing a ship to be lost

The officer of the watch faces the most serious charge: negligently causing a ship to be lost. According to the PINA investigation, the vessel struck a reef while travelling at more than four knots and failed to disengage the autopilot. The grounding occurred at approximately 6:13pm local time on 5 October 2024, southwest of Tafitoala village on Upolu Island, Samoa. This charge carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment under the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971.

Negligently permitting a ship to be lost

Lieutenant Commander Matthew Gajzago faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost by failing to supervise. His role as a commanding supervisor meant he bore responsibility for ensuring proper watch-standing procedures. Commander Yvonne Gray, the ship’s commanding officer, faces the same charge alongside additional counts. She is accused of being absent from the bridge within one nautical mile of the reef—or alternatively, failing to attend duty during a critical navigation phase. According to Samoa News, the maximum sentence for negligently permitting a ship to be lost is also two years in prison.

Risk management failures

Gray faces an additional charge of failing to ensure a risk management plan was in place for the hydrographic survey near reefs. The Court of Inquiry, which commenced on 11 October 2024 and heard 64 witnesses over 75 hours, identified planning deficiencies alongside human error as contributing factors.

What has happened to the captain of HMNZS Manawanui?

Commander Yvonne Gray involvement

Commander Yvonne Gray, a former Royal Navy commander, was the commanding officer of HMNZS Manawanui when it grounded on 5 October 2024 and subsequently sank the following day. She faces multiple charges under the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971, including negligently permitting a ship to be lost by being absent from the bridge and failing to ensure proper risk management protocols. According to PINA, Gray has indicated she will defend the charges.

Facing court martial

The NZDF officially announced the charges on 2 March 2026. Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding confirmed the disciplinary investigation in March 2025 following the final Court of Inquiry report. The court martial will be heard by a single court-martial panel. All 75 crew members were rescued safely—an outcome Defence Minister Judith Collins described as “a triumph given the very difficult circumstances” in statements recorded by NZ Navy.

Was HMNZS Manawanui insured?

Insurance coverage details

The HMNZS Manawanui, valued at approximately $100 million, was not fully insured at the time of the sinking. The New Zealand Defence Force bore the full financial burden of the vessel’s loss plus associated costs, which PINA reported reached approximately $120 million USD when including ship replacement and environmental cleanup. Beyond the vessel cost, New Zealand paid $6 million in compensation to Samoa for environmental impact, reportedly addressing reef damage affecting fishing grounds in Safata communities, according to Pacific Media Network.

What is the background of the HMNZS Manawanui sinking?

Date and location

The HMNZS Manawanui, a hydrographic survey vessel commissioned in 2019, grounded on a reef southwest of Tafitoala village on Upolu Island, Samoa, at approximately 6:13pm local time on 5 October 2024. The vessel struck the reef while travelling at more than four knots and failed to disengage its autopilot—a critical system failure during a survey operation near known hazards. The ship sank on 6 October 2024 following the grounding and a subsequent fire.

Circumstances of loss

The Court of Inquiry commenced on 11 October 2024, with an interim report delivered by 14 November 2024 and the final report submitted on 31 March 2025. The inquiry heard testimony from 64 witnesses over 75 hours of proceedings. According to Wikipedia’s summary of the inquiry findings, the final report confirmed human error as the primary cause, citing issues with training, planning, supervision, and command presence. The NZDF also investigated a fuel leak following the sinking as part of environmental response operations.

What is the HMNZS Manawanui court martial status?

Legal process

Charges were certified and laid on 2 March 2025 following the conclusion of the Court of Inquiry process. The NZDF official announcement confirmed that one officer faces a charge of negligently failing to perform a duty, while the officer of the watch faces the most serious count of negligently causing a ship to be lost. The court martial will be heard by a single court-martial panel, and proceedings are now underway.

Unprecedented nature

Legal experts have characterized these charges as unprecedented in RNZN history. According to PINA, the sinking has been described as one of the most serious peacetime incidents in the Royal New Zealand Navy’s modern history. The charges follow a Court of Inquiry held under Samoa’s jurisdiction, with New Zealand accepting responsibility for environmental damage through the $6 million compensation payment. Communities in Safata have expressed ongoing concerns about fishing ground impacts despite the payment, according to Pacific Media Network.

Timeline of the HMNZS Manawanui sinking and charges

Confirmed facts versus what remains unclear

Expert perspectives on the HMNZS Manawanui charges

“Nobody lost their lives. That is actually something of a triumph, frankly, given the very, very difficult circumstances.”

— Judith Collins, NZ Defence Minister (NZ Navy official recording)

“The sinking of the Manawanui was one of the most serious peacetime incidents in the modern history of the Royal New Zealand Navy.”

— PINA News Report (PINA)

The contrast between the zero casualties and the $120 million loss underscores the complexity of the case. While the crew’s survival represents a operational success in crisis management, the financial and reputational damage to the RNZN remains substantial. The compensation payment to Samoa, combined with ongoing concerns from Safata communities about reef damage, suggests the incident’s consequences extend beyond military records into international relations.

The New Zealand Defence Force faces a clear imperative: the outcome of this court martial will determine how seriously the RNZN enforces command accountability. For the Royal New Zealand Navy, the choice is between establishing firm negligence standards or allowing ambiguity to persist around command responsibility in operational failures.

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