The Prime Minister spoke to the crew of HMS Tamar this evening to thank them for their service and praise their role in securing Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Manawanui earlier this month.
The Prime Minister heard firsthand from members of the ship about their 650-mile high-speed transit from Fiji following the mayday call on October 5. They remained at the scene for almost two weeks providing recovery and pollution control efforts.
This week, the ship has been bolstering security to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, patrolling off the coast of the island while the summit is taking place.
The Prime Minister paid tribute to the crew’s dedication and commitment so far away from home.
He asked the ship’s company to pass on his sincere thanks to their families for their sacrifice at home too.