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’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.

Royal New Zealand Navy hydrographic dive and survey ship HMNZS Manawanui (A09) sank on Sunday after running aground off the southern coast of the island of Upolu, Samoa. The ship ran aground on Saturday evening while on a survey mission in the area.

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.

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.

Government officials in New Zealand are investigating the first sinking of a naval ship since World War II. HPR’s Derrick Malama has more in the Pacific News Minute.