Gajzago, who was the command supervisor on the bridge, has been charged with “negligently permitting a ship to be lost”. It is alleged he failed to properly supervise the third officer and ensure the ship avoided the reef. The court found the Navy’s own preparation and sign-off system failed to ensure the ship was properly ready for the task. The inquiry criticised both the ship’s level of preparedness and the Navy’s shore-based system for approving and readying ships for missions. In the days that followed, attention focused on environmental risks from fuel and debris, salvage operations, and the diplomatic implications of a New Zealand warship lost on a Pacific neighbour’s reef system.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 02, 2026 09:47 UTC