Mistakes by members of the crew caused a New Zealand navy ship to plow into a reef off the coast of Samoa, where it caught fire and sank, according to the preliminary findings of a military Court of Inquiry released Friday.

A New Zealand naval ship that sank after smashing into a coral reef in the South Pacific was left on autopilot, an inquiry has found.

A New Zealand naval ship which crashed into a coral reef before it caught fire and sank had been left on autopilot, an official inquiry has found. Crew members of the HMNZS Manawanui had thought the ship was under manual control while sailing in Samoan waters.

A New Zealand navy ship burst into flames and sank after hitting a reaf south of Samoa. A military court of inquiry has found that the crew had failed to turn off autopilot before the vessel veered off course.