New Zealand: Minister slams misogynistic 'armchair admirals'

After a New Zealand navy vessel struck a reef and sunk, some social media users have identified the captain's gender as the principal cause. The country's defense minister has slammed the sexist abuse.

New Zealand's defense minister has called out "vile" and "misogynistic" criticism of the female captain of a navy ship that sank off the coast of Samoa on Sunday.

"Seriously, it's 2024," Judith Collins told reporters on Thursday. "What the hell's going on here? Where's a bit of decency?"

HMNZS Manawanui ran aground on a reef it was surveying about a mile off the coast of Upolu, Samoa's most populous island, before catching fire.