Sinking near the New Zealand warship Samoa...All structures.

A New Zealand Navy warship sank after running aground in waters near Samoa, but all 75 people on board were rescued safely, the country's Defense Ministry said.

Last night, the New Zealand Navy surveying ship Manawanui, which was surveying reefs off the southern coast of the island of Upolu, Samoa, ran aground, according to the release.

The occupants were moved to a lifeboat after being stranded, and Samoa rescue authorities, Australian military authorities and New Zealand Air Force maritime patrol aircraft were deployed to rescue them all.

The cause of the stranding is unknown.

The Manawanui, which entered service in 2018, completely sank at around 9 a.m. local time after emitting thick smoke shortly after it ran aground.

New Zealand's navy has already been unable to operate three of its nine ships due to a lack of troops, Reuters reported.