WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s Defense Minister Judith Collins has condemned “vile” and “misogynistic” comments made online about the woman captain of a navy ship that ran aground, caught fire, and sank near the coast of Samoa.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Collins expressed her dismay at the “armchair admirals” who directed harsh criticism at Commander Yvonne Gray following the maritime incident. “Seriously, it’s 2024. What the hell’s going on here?” she stated.
Since the ship, one of nine in the New Zealand navy, sank on Sunday, social media discussions have largely focused on Gray’s gender. Collins urged the public to “be better,” noting that women in the military have also faced verbal harassment in New Zealand as a result of the incident.
All 75 crew members aboard were evacuated safely with minor injuries after the vessel ran aground while surveying a reef approximately a mile off Upolu, Samoa’s largest island. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
“The gender of the ship’s captain did not cause this incident; she is a woman with 30 years of naval experience who made the call to ensure the safety of her crew during the emergency,” Collins asserted. She also revealed that one of the critical comments originated from a truck driver in Melbourne, Australia, prompting her to advise him to stick to discussing matters relevant to his profession.
Collins, the first female defense minister in New Zealand’s history, reaffirmed that “we are all appointed based on merit, not gender,” standing alongside Gray and Major General Rose King, the nation’s first female army chief.
The sinking of the vessel has raised concerns about a potential fuel spill. On Thursday, Samoan officials reported that while the ship was leaking oil from three locations, the situation was improving with strong winds helping to dissipate the leaking oil quickly. Most of the ship’s fuel appeared to have burned off during the fire, according to the Marine Pollution Advisory Committee.
New Zealand’s government has initiated a military court inquiry into the incident, which will be presided over by senior military officials. The inquiry’s first meeting is scheduled for Friday.
Passengers, including civilian scientists and international military personnel, were evacuated from the ship in “challenging conditions” under the cover of darkness, as noted by New Zealand’s Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Garin Golding. Those on board have since returned to New Zealand by plane.
The vessel, a specialist dive and hydrographic ship that had been in service since 2019, was originally 20 years old and previously belonged to Norway. The military announced that the ship, purchased for NZ$100 million (approximately $61 million), was not covered by replacement insurance.
Concerns about New Zealand’s aging military fleet have been raised, with a report from the defense agency warning that the navy is “extremely fragile,” facing issues with maintaining operational readiness due to staffing shortages. Of the navy’s eight remaining ships, only five are currently operational.
Golding confirmed that the HMNZS Manawanui underwent a maintenance period prior to its deployment, reinforcing the urgency of addressing these operational challenges moving forward.
Credit: ABC News
