The commanding officer and crew of HMNZS Manawanui have made an emotional and final visit to home port Gisborne where they were honoured by the RSA and Gisborne District Council.
The dive and hydrographic ship struck a reef off Samoa and sank on October 5, becoming the first vessel lost by the navy since World War II.
All 75 people aboard were successfully rescued.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz, speaking at Thursday’s full council meeting, said there had been a lovely and emotional mayoral reception on Wednesday to acknowledge the relationship between the ship and Gisborne.
Commanding Officer Yvonne Gray brought with her Manawanui’s symbol of command - a toki poutangata (ceremonial adze).
A councillor told the Herald the reception was “an incredibly moving ceremony”.
Stoltz said the crew had been through so much emotional trauma, but during their Gisborne visit, had spent time picking up rubbish at Makorori Beach and other places.
Gisborne RSA farewelled Gray and crew members with a buffet dinner.
Speeches were made by (Gisborne) Royal New Zealand Naval Association president Sonny Maynard and regional naval officer Lieutenant Commander Greg Mackle.
Jack Donnelly, of the RNZ Naval Association, told the Herald Gray spoke passionately about her time as the ship’s commanding officer.
Gray told those at the dinner the time spent in Gisborne providing vital support during Cyclone Gabrielle had been some of the most challenging but rewarding of her naval career.
“It was a very informative evening, with our old sailors sharing stories and having a good laugh with the young sailors,” Donnelly said. “A ship is our home and we sailors treat her as one of our own.
“It is just like losing one of our whānau.”
Fuel removal from the sunken Manawanui is expected to start in December, a statement from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said.
Royal New Zealand Navy deputy chief Andrew Brown said the first priority was to first remove the “bulk fuel”, which poses the largest environmental risk, then progress to the smaller quantities of oils and other contaminants.
“In the end, we do not expect it will be safe or practical to remove absolutely all the liquids, however, the objective is to do everything practicable to limit or stop any potential damage to the environment,” Brown said.
The operation would be done as quickly and safely as possible, but was dependent on factors such as weather and sea conditions, he said.
Equipment needed was expected to leave New Zealand in the next week and take about 10 days to arrive, NZDF said in a statement.
Manawanui crew roll up their sleeves to clean up Gisborne District
The crew of HMNZS Manawanui, which sank off the coast of Samoa last month, returned to their home port of Gisborne this week to carry out environmental work on local beaches and waterways.
Crew members tackled weed removal along the Waimata River and collected rubbish from Makorori and Midway beaches. Their efforts were praised by Gisborne District Council on social media.
“While the huge amount of waste they collected was disappointing, it’s heartening to see the area clear ahead of summer,” a council spokeswoman wrote.
“Let’s all do our bit to be ‘waste-free warriors’ and keep up the good work.”
“To the Manawanui crew members who came here, we’d love to extend a huge ‘thank you’ to each and every one of you. Your positivity and ‘can-do’ attitude was awesome to experience. Thanks also to Gizzy Waste for the use of the skip bins.”
The clean-up left key recreational areas tidier for the summer season.
