Divers prepare to set out and recover items from the HMNZS Manawanui off the Southern Coast of Upolu. Photo Credit: NZDF.
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is currently conducting due diligence with respect to options for fuel removal.
Operation Resolution is being delivered by NZDF-led response teams on the ground in Samoa and in New Zealand.
Daily activities of the team on the ground are focused on our priority to reduce any environmental impacts caused from the grounding and sinking of HMNZS Manawanui.
Senior National Representative for the NZDF Commodore Brown says one of the teams who aid with our surveillance and monitoring is the Royal New Zealand Air Force Uncrewed Aerial Systems detachment, which provides aerial surveillance capability.
“Daily drone flights are undertaken, covering around five kilometres along the coastline and over the water in the vicinity of Manawanui,” Commodore Brown says.
“The team of two coordinate flight authorisation each day, operating as pilot and observer on each surveillance patrol.
“To date the team has conducted around 25 hours of flight time, across 60 flights.”
Multiple drones with around 20 minutes of flight time each, complete one hour of combined surveillance.
Detailed analysis of the recorded imagery is carried out within the Operation Resolution command centre.
Commodore Brown says his team is here for the long haul.
“The drone capability will remain in place continuing aerial monitoring throughout Operation Resolution, helping us to minimise any possible environmental impacts.
“This remains our absolute priority as we move towards the next phase, fuel removal.”
