New Defence Force figures show more than half a million litres of diesel fuel aboard the Manawanui when it sank has not been taken off it.
The survey ship sank off Samoa last October.
Yesterday, Defence said it had finished the job of getting the fuel off, removing 365,000 litres, but Defence today told RNZ the Manawanui had 900,000 litres of diesel fuel on board - 535,000 more than taken off.
Defence said it did not know how much leaked, as some burned in a fire on board, before the boat sank.
"Some diesel fuel escaped through damaged tanks and pipes," Group Captain Rob Shearer said. "Our navy divers also worked hard to contain and capture ongoing leaks,"
Samoan authorities earlier estimated 200,000 litres leaked into the ocean.
Tests by the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa showed the seawater and marine life were clear and uncontaminated, Shearer said.
The light diesel fuel dissipated relatively rapidly and evaporated, he added, citing "continuous environmental monitoring".
The sinking and leaking fuel closed fishing grounds important to local villagers for some weeks.
The fuel salvage was expected to last 20 days, but took almost three months.
1 comment
After reading this...
Posted on 11-03-2025 10:41 | By groutby
.....I am more than wondering if anyone in the NZDF actually know what they are doing and indeed need to do....first of all they sink a ship ( some would say through incompetency)...then after five...FIVE months have passed conclude they have, and then haven't.. got all of the fuel off the vessel. In the meantime there are doubtless claims from the Samoan government which are escalating as every day of inaccuracies and unreliable information passes. If as a country we are to increase the defence budget in an aim to at least appear to be contributing to our overall security commitments, we seriously need to choose the quality of personnel much more carefully IMO.
In the meantime, put out more roadcones around the wreck and hold another meeting!..
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