HMNZS Puriri (T02)
HMNZS "Puriri" (T02) was a coastal cargo boat which was requisitioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and converted into a minesweeper. She was sunk by a German mine 25 days after she was commissioned. Operational history. "Puriri" was owned by the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Company. She was one of four ships requisitioned as a consequence of the 's minefield and the loss of the liner , the others being , and . "Puriri" was taken over on 20 November 1940 and handed to the dockyard for conversion. On 27 November 1940, "Puriri" put to sea urgently to  assist the cruiser in the search for the raiders "Orion" and , which had sunk the liner . She returned to port three days later and resumed conversion. She was commissioned on 19 April 1941, and assigned to the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla, which was assigned to sweep German mines in the Hauraki Gulf. Fate. On 13 May 1941, the launch "Rawea" attached a buoy to a German mine that had been caught in a fishing net eight miles north-east of Bream Head. "Puriri" and "HMNZS Gale" were sent to deactivate it, and arrived in the area the next day. "Gale" sailed  past the mine without seeing it, but "Puriri", also not seeing the mine, struck it at 11 am. The explosion caused the ship to immediately sink at and now lies at a depth of 98m. Of the 31 aboard, five were killed or drowned, and three seamen were injured, one seriously. "Gale" rescued the 26 survivors. The cargo boat was requisitioned as a replacement for "Puriri".