Officials are investigating the circumstances that led to the sinking of a $100 million naval ship that was under the command of a lesbian captain with no previous ship command experience.

The incident is New Zealand's first naval loss since World War II.

'Now we have an environmental disaster on our hands, caused by the very people who are always crying about the environment.'

Captain Yvonne Gray ordered the crew of the HMNZS Manawanui to abandon ship on Saturday evening when the 275 foot vessel struck a reef in the waters south of Samoa. 75 people were saved, and no lives were lost.

Critics on social media immediately noted that Captain Gray had no ship command experience on her resume and had previously admitted that she had ulterior motives to seeking the command of the naval ship. In a 2022 interview with New Zealand's Navy Today magazine, Gray said she and her wife schemed to move to New Zealand after falling in love with the country on a campervan holiday.

"How do we get to live here, we asked ourselves," she said, then added, "The most obvious thing was to apply to join the Royal New Zealand Navy."

Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Garin Golding said Gray made the right decision to order the crew to abandon ship.

"Evacuating a ship at night is an incredibly complex and dangerous task," he added.

Radio NZ reported that an oil spill could be seen from the shipwreck for many miles along the Samoan shore.

Some speculated that the commander had been hired to satisfy diversity concerns despite her lack of experience.

"You don't cut your teeth on $100m ships," responded one critic. "Now we have an environmental disaster on our hands, caused by the very people who are always crying about the environment."

"A ship worth over $100 million—gone—and for what? PERVERSITY, INIQUITY AND DELUSION," replied another critic.

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