Charges have been laid in relation to the loss of Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui, off the coast of Samoa in October 2024.

Three naval officers face a court martial.

The vessel sank off the coast of Samoa after hitting a reef, spilling hundreds of thousands of litres of diesel and oil into the ocean.

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One officer faces a charge of negligently causing a ship to be lost and a second faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost.

If found guilty, negligently causing a ship to be lost carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

The HMNZS Manawanui, aground in Samoa. Photo: Profile Boats / supplied

A third officer faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost, or in the alternative, negligently failing to perform a duty. In addition, the third officer faces a charge of negligently failing to perform a duty.

A spokesperson for the defence force said the date and location of the court martial were yet to be set.