In a turn of events that would make Poseidon himself chuckle, the crew of the HMNZS Manawanui mistook their autopilot system for a mythical sea spirit, leading to a disastrous misadventure off the coast of Samoa. Initial reports describe a dramatic scene where the New Zealand navy personnel, convinced they were on the verge of a legendary encounter, prepared to face the 'ghost' reef with all the bravado of fearless adventurers — despite the fact that they were sailing directly into disaster. As the heavily invested crew mythologized their predicament, they speculated wildly about the existence of an ancient sea spirit guarding the reef, perhaps even competing for the title of “Most Confusing Shipwreck of the Century.” Eyewitnesses report hearing the ship's captain yelling, “Engage the magic, not the machine!” as the vessel continued its ill-fated approach. The preliminary findings from the military Court of Inquiry revealed that the crew was oblivious to the fact that their ship was happily chugging along on autopilot, while they deemed the navigational device to be an enchanted artifact gone rogue. In a particularly revealing moment, one crew member suggested that the autopilot's lights flickering might have been a form of “sea language,” at which point the crew proceeded to conduct a ritual dance involving hastily thrown life jackets in an attempt to appease their newfound spirit companion. As the Manawanui plowed into the ghostly reef with all the subtlety of a drunk dolphin, flames erupted, and the crew finally began to realize that maybe — just maybe — the situation wasn't quite as magical as they had imagined. It’s reported that in the final moments prior to the ship’s demise, the captain could be heard resignedly muttering, “Next time, let’s stick to Netflix documentaries about mermaids.” The incident has prompted rising concerns about naval training and the standard operating procedures regarding advanced technology — and perhaps a new policy on addressing supernatural phenomena at sea. Meanwhile, local marine life reportedly held an impromptu parade to honor the naval epic fail, which they dubbed, “The Day Humans Discovered Autopilot with a Splash.” As the Manawanui rests in its watery grave, the sea spirit remains elusive, but it seems likely that the true spirit of the event will linger in the hearts of the crew and anyone who has ever misidentified technology as magic.