It's a tale of two coastlines. On the north coast of Samoa's island of Upolu, King Charles and Queen Camilla have been welcomed to Apia for the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), with leaders from 56 countries. Their majesties stay at the luxurious Sinalei Resort and Spa at Siumu Village, and the international dignitaries and their delegations are on the P&O cruise ship Pacific Explorer, which is berthed in Apia Harbour while hotel occupancy is maxed in the island capital for the duration of CHOGM.
However, on the idyllic south-west coast, villages and tour operators are living in stark contrast, since the HMNZS Manawanui ran aground on the Tafitoala Reef in early October, caught on fire and sank. Here their livelihoods hang in the balance, as approximately 200,000 litres of diesel have so far leaked from the vessel. The village of Tafitoala is less than two kilometres away on the coast from the sunken HMNZS Manawanui.
Netina Fuiavailili Malae and her family watched the vessel run onto the reef directly in front of their beachfront fales. It had all its lights on. Fuiavailili Malae says her son and nephew tried to rescue crew and passengers who could be seen in the water with torches, but the wind and waves were too rough and prevented them from getting close enough.
When the family woke at dawn the next morning the ship was on fire before it sank. "The fire went slow, and later on you saw it burst you know slow and up, and a big fire up on the b.
