Summary
The New Zealand navy ship HMNZS Manawanui sank near Samoa during an ocean floor mapping mission after crew errors left it on autopilot, causing it to accelerate into a reef.
The vessel, lost in October, was the country’s first navy shipwreck since WWII. A military inquiry blamed human error, with crew failing to disengage autopilot.
The ship carried 950 tons of diesel, raising environmental concerns, though fuel tanks appeared intact.
No fatalities occurred, but minor injuries were reported.
Social media criticism unfairly targeted the ship’s female captain, prompting defense officials to denounce sexist remarks. Salvage efforts are ongoing.
The Manawanui had been dispatched to map the ocean floor.
It’s just doing that bit in exquisite detail.
Gotta get in real close so you don’t have all that water obscuring the view.
Truly dedicated vessel, that one.
Thankfully it was towed outside the environment.
Reminds me of when I was younger I always thought they should pull the cruise control out of my mom’s car since she’d always use it at the wrong times and as an excuse to drive distracted. Of course, now I think they should crush her car into a cube and shred her license since she’s a menace to society in a city not known for good drivers, but that’s its own thing.
That can’t be right. The auto pilot should be automatically piloting the boat.
Autopilot shouldn’t be accelerating the boat:
it should be … you know … maintaining heading or/and maintaining speed, & NOT “accelerating” the thing…
that … doesn’t compute.
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