All 78 people on board HMNZS Manawanui have been accounted for, New Zealand officials say. -AP
A Royal New Zealand Navy vessel has run aground off Samoa but all 75 crew and passengers on board are now safely in Samoa.
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Manawanui, the navy's specialist dive and hydrographic vessel, ran aground near the southern coast of Upolu on Saturday as it was conducting a reef survey, Commodore Shane Arndell, the maritime component commander of the New Zealand Defence Force, said in a statement on Sunday.
Several vessels responded and helped in rescuing the crew and passengers who had left the ship, Arndell said.
Those rescued "are being supported in Samoa or on supporting vessels", he said.
The New Zealand Defence Force had earlier said there were 78 passengers and crew aboard the ship.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon was also deployed to help in the rescue.
Manawanui is used to conduct a range of specialist diving, salvage and survey tasks around New Zealand and across the South West Pacific.
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