Prime Minister praises HMS Tamar in personal thank-you call while at sea
The crew of HMS Tamar have received a personal call from the Prime Minister to thank them for their service and praise their role in securing the stricken Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Manawanui earlier this month.
Sir Keir Starmer was able to hear firsthand from members of the ship about their 650-mile high-speed transit from Fiji following the mayday call the Manawanui sent out on 5 October.
HMS Tamar remained at the scene for almost two weeks, providing recovery and pollution control efforts.
HMNZS Manawanui ran aground and sank off the coast of Samoa, but all 75 crew and passengers on board were safe.
The vessel's captain, a former Royal Navy officer who now serves in the Royal New Zealand Navy, Commander Yvonne Gray, was praised for her decision to evacuate the ship.
In the call, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the dedication and commitment of HMS Tamar's crew being so far away from home.
Tamar posted the crew's delight at receiving the call on X, posting alongside some images of the crew: "Whilst at sea, near Samoa, we were privileged to receive a welcome call from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"He thanked us for our recent work in the region, both in the aftermath of the loss of HMNZS Manawanui and in support of CHOGM2024."
HMS Tamar has been bolstering security in Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, patrolling off the coast of the island while the summit is taking place.
Sir Keir asked the ship's company to pass on his sincere thanks to their families for their sacrifice at home too.
The Prime Minister announced the Royal Navy will be expanding its presence in the Pacific Ocean, in what Sir Keir said was a move to counter China's growing influence.
He laid out plans for a greater naval presence in the Pacific, reportedly including more joint patrols across the world's largest ocean to reinforce the security of its small island nations, respond to natural disasters and combat illegal fishing.
Commitment to the Indo-Pacific
The patrols play into a strategy adopted by the UK in recent years called the Indo-Pacific tilt, which is aimed at countering the growing influence of China and ensuring the West has a widespread presence in the region.
"My visit to the Pacific this week has only reinforced how important this part of the world is to the United Kingdom's prosperity and security, and I know across business, trade and defence, we play a vital role in supporting the region too," Sir Keir said.
"As responsible international players, we cannot turn a blind eye to the challenges faced by our friends and partners on the other side of the world, so my message today is clear: this is just the beginning of our commitment to the Indo-Pacific.
The Royal Navy recently ran its first-ever counter-illegal fishing patrols in the Pacific alongside New Zealand and Fiji.
It now plans to extend this offer to other Pacific island countries to help them protect maritime routes and their economies.
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