A Royal New Zealand navy vessel has run aground near the southern coast of Upolu in Samoa, the New Zealand Defence Force says in a statement.
All 78 people on board the dive and survey vessel HMNZS Manawanui are in life rafts and accounted for, New Zealand Defence Force Commodore Shane Arndell said.
An Air Force P-8 Poseidon surveillance plane has been sent to assist the rescue operation, he added.
The incident happened as the vessel was conducting a reef survey, he said.
HMNZS Manawanui is the navy's specialist dive and hydrographic vessel, used to conduct a range of specialist diving, salvage and survey tasks around New Zealand and across the south west Pacific.