An Australian warship visiting Wellington accidentally caused internet and radio outages across parts of New Zealand earlier this week.
The incident occurred when HMAS Canberra, one of Australia’s largest warships, sailed along the country’s coast Wednesday morning, en route to Wellington to visit the city.
According to 9News, telecommunication companies had reported interruptions as early as 2am.
An Australian Defence Force spokesperson told the Australian outlet that crew aboard the ship became aware the vessel’s navigation radar was interfering with Wi-Fi in Taranaki and Marlborough.
“On becoming aware, HMAS Canberra changed frequencies, rectifying the interference. There are no ongoing disruptions.”
Services had returned to normal by the time the ship docked in the capital on Thursday.
An NZDF spokesperson told 1News: “The issue was reported to the New Zealand Defence Force. We contacted the Australian Defence Force and the issue was resolved.”
It had no further comment on the nature of the event.
Matthew Harrison, founder and owner of Taranaki internet provider Primo, wrote on LinkedIn that the outage “wasn’t just a blip”.
“It was full-scale, military-grade radar triggering built-in safety protocols designed to protect airspace… and it rolled across our network in sync with the ship’s movement.
“We’ve never seen anything like it here before,” he wrote. “It’s not every day a warship takes your gear offline.”
The vessel, an amphibious assault ship, can carry and launch numerous helicopters from its deck.
It docked in Wellington with the Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, onboard.
Barr said the visit reaffirmed “deep and growing ties” between the two capitals.
“Our sister city relationship with Wellington is one of genuine friendship and mutual respect. It’s built on a shared commitment to sustainability, creativity, and inclusive growth.”
Its delegation and crew participated in several community activities in Wellington, including assisting a soup kitchen and cleaning up selected coastal areas and tracks around the city.
“This week’s celebration reflects the strength and significance of our city’s relationship with Canberra, further deepening the bonds of friendship and collaboration between us,” Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau said about the visit.
“Our partnership is a source of great pride and a key element in Wellington’s international engagements, fostering a continued exchange of ideas, culture, and goodwill.”
