“Vile” Online Attacks Target Woman Captain After New Zealand Navy Ship Sinks
New Zealand’s Defence Minister, Peeni Henare, has condemned “vile” and “misogynistic” online attacks directed at the woman captain of a navy ship that ran aground, caught fire, and sank off the coast of Samoa, The Associated Press reports.
Commander Yvonne Gray, a veteran with 30 years of naval experience, was at the helm of the HMNZS Manawanui when the incident occurred on Sunday. Despite the tragedy, all 75 personnel on board, including civilian scientists and foreign military personnel, were safely evacuated with only minor injuries.
Henare expressed outrage at the “armchair admirals” who targeted Gray’s gender in their online commentary, stating that “the one thing that we already know did not cause it is the gender of the ship’s captain.” She stressed Gray’s heroic actions in getting everyone to safety, highlighting that “on the night she made the call to get her people to safety.”
The incident has also sparked concerns about the state of New Zealand’s aging military hardware. The HMNZS Manawanui, a specialist dive and hydrographic vessel purchased for NZ$100 million ($61 million), was 20 years old and had previously belonged to Norway. The military has admitted that the ship was not covered by replacement insurance.
A report by the Defence Agency in March described the navy as “extremely fragile,” with ships idle due to staffing shortages and maintenance issues. Only five of the navy’s eight remaining ships are currently operational.
Despite the sinking, officials in Samoa confirmed that while the vessel was leaking oil from three locations, the amount was decreasing each day and dissipating quickly due to strong winds. The Marine Pollution Advisory Committee stated that most of the ship’s fuel appeared to have burned out during the fire.
New Zealand’s government has ordered a military court of inquiry into the episode, which will assemble for the first time on Friday. The inquiry will be led by senior military officers and will investigate the cause of the disaster.
