By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 09 October 2024 – A Surf & Marine Tours Operator fears for any negative impacts of potential oil or chemical spillage from the wreck of the HMNZ Manawanui will have on the marine environment that is the major attraction for their business.
Owner of Offshore Adventures who has provided Surf and Tours based at Talatau Beach Fales at neighbouring Salamumu village, “fears for the worst.”
Brent Ross has been doing tourism surfing, diving and snorkeling in Samoa for 24 years including the area where the vessel has sunk.
“Any oil or chemical spillage will definitely have an effect on our tourism business,” he told Talamua.
Since the incident, Ross and two of his guests from Australia had been out at sea collecting and clearing debris from the area where HMNZ Manawanui sank on Sunday morning.
Brent Ross, owner of Offshore Adventures based at neighbouring Talatau Beach Fales, Salamumu Village.
They filmed a short clip already posted online that showed small turtles and fish swimming in the thick oil and debris.
Asked what it was like out there, he said “disappointing.”
He is very concerned and is not sure how long it will take whoever is responsible to clear and contain any oil spillage, but he believes it needs to be done quickly before it will cause serious damage to the ecosystem and marine life.
Some of the raincoats, appliances and boards retrieved from the wreck have a strong smell of diesel.
Ross said whether it’s a small or big spill of oil, it “should not be seen as a minor matter and the Samoan Government should hold the New Zealand Government accountable and do something quickly.”
One of Samoa’s biggest mangrove conservation areas is at Sa’anapu village which is very close to where the vessel now rests at the bottom of the ocean with about 1,000 tonnes of diesel.
The concern is the need for quick action in cleaning up and containing any oil spill from the vessel before it reaches these conservation and reserve areas.
