New Zealand's government has paid Samoa 10m Samoan Tala (NZD 6m; £2.6m) after one of its naval ships crashed into a reef in Samoan waters before catching fire and sinking last year.
HMNZS Manawanui started leaking oil into the ocean after it sunk, with reports of sea turtles dying and slicks appearing on nearby Samoan beaches.
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated that the payment had been made at Samoa's request, acknowledging the gravity of the incident.
HMNZS Manawanui was the first ship New Zealand lost at sea since World War Two, the vessel was surveying a previously unmapped area when it ran aground.
All 75 personnel aboard were successfully rescued as the ship began to list off the coast of Upolu, a year ago. Despite visible smoke during the sinking, not all fuel was burnt off, contributing to initial environmental concerns.
Since the incident, efforts have continued to remove pollutants from the wreck, and Peters has emphasized a commitment to minimize environmental impacts and support affected communities.
Preliminary investigations indicated human error, particularly a failure to disengage the ship's autopilot, as the cause of the crash.
Additionally, the ship's captain faced unwarranted gendered trolling on social media, an act denounced by New Zealand's defense minister.
