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.Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, acting Samoan prime minister,

HMNZS Manawanui - sank after hitting a reef in the Pacific nation of Samoa. The incident forced its captain to order the 75 crew onto life rafts or smaller vessels, and abandoning ship. But there are fears a huge oil spill could devastate local marine life.

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.