Samoa’s deputy prime minister says there's no evidence of a major fuel spill on a Samoan reef after a New Zealand navy ship sank.

A Royal New Zealand Navy ship has gone aground and later sunk off Samoa while doing a tropical reef survey but all 75 crew and passengers on board are reported safe ashore.

(Reuters) - A Royal New Zealand navy vessel has run aground near the southern coast of Upolu in Samoa, the New Zealand Herald reported on Saturday, citing Maritime Component Commander Commodore Shane Arndell. All 78 people on board the dive and survey vessel HMNZS Manawanui are in life rafts and accounted for, the newspaper said.

New Zealand will hold a court of inquiry into the loss of the ship, which was one of nine in its navy. The cause of the disaster is not known.

A New Zealand Navy ship has sunk off the coast of Samoa - the first time they have lost a ship since World War Two - with the Defence Force working to “minimise the environmental impacts”. HMNZS Manawanui was conducting a tropical reef survey when it came into trouble approximately one nautical mile from the island of Upolu on Saturday night,

A New Zealand navy ship carrying 75 crew members and passengers caught fire and sank off Samoa, but all on board are safe, the New Zealand Defence Force said on Sunday. The Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui ran aground near the southern coast of Upolu Island in Samoa while conducting a reef survey.

New Zealand’s Navy lost its first ship since World War II after the HMNZS Manawanui sank on a reef off the coast of Samoa on Sunday creating a potential environmental disaster in waters used for fishing and tourism.

Samoa on Tuesday said it had detected and contained "small leakages" from a New Zealand navy vessel wrecked on a reef while carting almost 1,000 tonnes of diesel.

An investigation is underway after a Royal New Zealand Navy ship ran aground and sank off Samoa while conducting a reef survey. The Royal New Zealand Navy Ship HMNZS Manawanui grounded near the southern coast of Upolu,