New Zealand Defends Female Captain Who Sank $61 Million Navy Ship

Remember the story of a female captain sinking a new $61 million Navy ship?

Yeah, we remember that too…

Well, it turns out that criticism of the captain angered the New Zealand government, and the country’s Defense Minister has come out, ironically, in her defense.

At a glance:

  • New Zealand’s defense minister rejected claims that the gender of Commander Yvonne Gray, a female captain, contributed to the sinking of the $61 million navy vessel Manawanui.
  • The Manawanui sank off the coast of Samoa, marking the first naval ship lost by New Zealand since World War II.
  • An investigation is underway, and officials have condemned the misogynistic narrative blaming the captain’s gender for the incident.

New Zealand’s Defense Minister, Judith Collins, strongly condemned allegations that the appointment of a female captain was responsible for the sinking of the navy’s specialist dive and hydrographic vessel, Manawanui. The ship ran aground on a reef off Samoa while conducting a survey and later sank, marking New Zealand’s first naval ship lost since World War II.

https://x.com/DailyInsightAU/status/1844634654768529626

Commander Yvonne Gray, who has 30 years of naval experience, was in charge at the time of the incident. Despite her quick decision to evacuate the 75 crew members and passengers to safety, online critics have questioned whether her appointment was influenced by diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

Defense Minister Collins rebuked these claims, labeling them as part of a “misogynistic narrative.” She emphasized that an inquiry is currently investigating the cause of the sinking and that gender had nothing to do with the disaster. “The one thing that we already know did not cause it is the gender of the ship’s captain,” Collins stated. She added that women in uniform have faced unwarranted abuse following the event, calling such behavior “outrageous” and “unacceptable.”

The Manawanui lost power and ran aground approximately one nautical mile off the coast of Samoa’s Upolu island on Saturday night. The crew and passengers, which included civilian scientists and foreign military personnel, evacuated the vessel in lifeboats under difficult conditions. By Sunday morning, the ship was listing heavily and sank by 9 a.m. after smoke was spotted from the vessel.

Environmental concerns were raised about a potential oil spill, but officials in Samoa reported that the leaking oil was decreasing daily and was being dissipated by strong winds.

The Manawanui, a 20-year-old ship purchased from Norway in 2019, was acquired for $61 million (100 million NZD). Unfortunately, the vessel was not covered by replacement insurance, leading to financial concerns for the New Zealand Navy.

Despite these challenges, Collins defended the merit-based appointments in the military and reiterated that the captain’s experience and quick thinking ensured the safety of all aboard during the tragic incident.