The Samoan government is to decide the future of the wreckage of the HMNZS Manawanui Which sank on the south coast of Upolu, Samoa for more than five months.
The ‘without fish’ warning was raised to more than 4000 people in nine villages on the south coast of Upolu, where Manawanui Arrive to Recife de TafaFaoala and sank on October 6.
Salvors confirmed that the remaining fuel and pollutants were removed from the wreckage, but the questions remained on the impact that wreck was causing on the fragile marine environment.
“There were 10 tanks that were very difficult to access, but finally we were able to obtain permission and confirmation that there is no diesel or remaining fuel in these tanks,” said Samoa Marine Advisory Committee, I was Tupai Mau Simanu, from Apia.
“That has always been the concern, because it was very dangerous, but finally after a little attempt and error and having a good experience after working for the area for a while, they finally managed to find a safe process to access these tanks and clean them.”
New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins said she understood that the Samoa government favored Manawanui Being left in Recife and “they are working as this can happen.”
However, I was Tupai Mal Simanu said there were three options before Samoa’s office in a report.
“One hundred percent removal, remove parts that can be considered a danger or whatever, and leave pieces that are too dangerous to move and, of course, let it there and remove everything that can be removed and leave the skeleton of the structure.
“I already said there was no decision on this, so the decision is waiting when the report is launched and then we will finally become the public what the decision is.”
The New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) Salvors confirmed that they were removing weapons, ammunition and equipment, including a container crane inside and around the wreckage.
It was reported that the war ship carried 900,000 to 950,000 liters of diesel fuel when it hit Recife, and it is estimated that up to 200,000 liters leaked in the first week.
NZDF said more than 320,000 liters of diesel fuel mixed with seawater and another 45,000 liters of contaminated fuel were safely recovered from the wreckage.
“There are approximately 600,000 liters that are contaminable for [sic]Of which some of them were burned, some of them were captured by our divers, and the rest was launched in the one, in the environment, “said Rob Shearer, captain of the NZDF group.
However, there was no figure for the amount of fuel and pollutants that leaked into the environment.
“We can’t estimate this because we just can’t, because we don’t know how much it was consumed in the fire. We know how much the divers were recovered, but the rest is – it would be an estimate,” said the captain of the Shearer group.
Associate Professor at the University of Waikato in Biodiversity and Ecology Nick Ling said the discrepancy is not knowing how much fuel leaked in the ocean and no ecological evaluation has been released that show the environmental impact of wreck.
“We can’t really make an assessment of where this oil was.
“Obviously, when the ship sank, there was a fire that could have burned part of the fuel and there were reports of reasonably significant oil spills at the time, so you just have to wonder about the accuracy of this estimate that there were 200 tons that were actually released.
“It could have been substantially more over the time the ship was in the background,” Ling said.
“What I am dissatisfied with the answer so far is that it does not seem that there has been much interaction with the locals and how they feel about progress and what the future final reserves for wreckage.”
Concern was also raised about how the government of New Zealand and NZDF responded to the wreck. Professor Paul Myburgh of the University of Auckland Law School said they both underestimated how serious the situation was.
“If this incident had happened in the Greater Barrier Recife of Australia, the response of the government of New Zealand would be the same as that has been about this incident in Samoa?
“Likewise, I doubt Australia would allow us to get away from what we have really been able to escape so far in Samoa,” said Professor Myburgh.
“So you know, although New Zealand’s government says that it treats all countries equally, I think there is a lack of transparency and that there is a lack of information and I can understand why residents are very frustrated.”
Professor Myburgh also pointed to Defense Minister Collins underestimating the situation.
“When she was initially interviewed and residents’ concerns were put to her, she described this as a drop. Now 500,000 liters are not the definition of a drip from anyone. This is a serious incident.”
In response, Collins said he had “total confidence in the way the NZDF responded to the initial wreck and fuel recovery of the HMNZS Manawanui. “
