$63 million Royal New Zealand Navy ship capsizes and sinks off Samoa

Built in 2003, the HMNZS Manawanui is a specialist dive and hydrographic ship, mostly used for coastal and harbor surveys, underwater explosive disposals, and search and recovery operations.

The New Zealand government said in 2018 that it would cost NZ$103 million (around $63 million) to buy and convert the ship, Radio New Zealand reported.

It entered service with the Royal New Zealand Navy in 2019.

Golding added that the passengers and crew would be flown back to New Zealand from Samoa on Sunday.

“We are very grateful for the assistance of everyone involved, from RCCNZ who coordinated rescue efforts, to the vessels which responded and took our crew and passengers from Manawanui to safety,” Maritime Component Commander Commodore Shane Arndell said.

The New Zealand Defense Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, which was sent outside regular working hours.