New Zealand has lost its first naval ship since World War II after the HMNZS Manawanui crashed into the reef, caught on fire, and sank off the coast of Somoa. Commander Yvonne Gray, a British lesbian, was in charge of the $100 million ship at the time of the disaster, which generated environmental concerns about the ship's oil contaminating the local reef and the sea habitat.

Authorities launched an investigation into the failure and said it was the first unintentional sinking of a New Zealand naval vessel since WWII, CNN reported. The incident occurred on Saturday evening when the specialist dive and hydrographic vessel lost power and ran aground while conducting a reef survey one nautical mile off the coast of the Samoan island Upoli, as per New Zealand authorities.

The navy said crew members spotted smoke on Sunday around 6:40 am, and by 9 am, the ship had sank. All 75 crew members and passengers were rescued by night, with some sustaining minor injuries.

Commander Yvonne Gray moved to New Zealand in 2012 after traveling to the country with her lesbian wife for a vacation. Gray had previously served in the British Navy since 1993 before joining NZ forces, according to her Royal NZ bio. This was Gray's first-ever ship command.

Gray appeared to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. In a 2023 Facebook post, she posed for a photo onboard a ship and wrote in the caption: "A great team requires time and effort and recognition that everyone brings something valuable. No room for exclusion, no room for bullying."


Commander Gray poses for a photo with her shipmates. Credit: Facebook

According to local authorities, distress calls were received by Samoan police shortly before 7 pm on Saturday night. Small boats were dispatched to warn that the ship was absorbing water and that its crew would likely require evacuation. By 5 am on Sunday, all those onboard had been rescued.