New Zealand Defence Minister "Sinking warship and captain's gender irrelevant"

New Zealand's defence minister has publicly criticised the recent sinking of a naval warship, saying misogynistic comments against female captains were spreading online.

"A committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the accident," New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins said at a press conference today (10th), adding, "It is clear that the ship did not sink because of the captain's gender."

"I'm very worried that misogynistic stories have been raised even before the crew returned to New Zealand," he said, lamenting, "What the hell is going on in 2024?"

Collins referred to those commenting online as "admirals of comfort," calling them "knocking on keyboards about people and fields they don't know."

He also said, "I was astonished at the fact that people who would never decide whether their subordinates were alive or dead were commenting and women in uniform were being bullied in the street."

Collins is also New Zealand's first female defense minister.

Earlier on the night of the 5th, the New Zealand Navy surveying ship Manawanui, which was investigating reefs in waters near Samoa, ran aground and sank.

All 75 passengers were rescued safely after being transferred to a lifeboat, and authorities will investigate the cause of the sinking and release an interim report in the middle of next month.