Minister for Defence Judith Collins says the Samoan Government wants the Manawanui wreck to remain off the coast despite ongoing concerns about residual oil slicks and pollution.
The ship ran aground on a coral reef during survey operations in October.
Collins says most of the oil has been removed, and the wreck could eventually become a tourist attraction.
“The Samoan government has decided it wants it to stay where it is. It suits the government for that to happen; it’ll become a great part of the reef, and it’ll be probably an excellent diving spot at some stage,” says Collins.
Last month, the fishing village of Safata reported continued fuel odours in the region, despite the precautionary zone ban being lifted, allowing villagers to resume fishing near the disaster site.
