Early Wednesday morning, the Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Canberra accidentally disrupted internet and radio services across parts of New Zealand. The ship was passing through Cook Strait on its way to Wellington for a friendly visit when the problem occurred.
As HMAS Canberra, Australia’s largest warship, sailed between New Zealand’s North and South Islands, its navigation radar began interfering with local wireless internet signals. This happened around 2 a.m., affecting areas such as Taranaki and Marlborough. The radar triggered safety switches in wireless equipment, which caused many systems to shut down automatically.
The issue was reported to New Zealand’s Radio Spectrum Management agency, which alerted both the New Zealand and Australian Defence Forces. Once the ship’s crew learned of the interference, they quickly changed radar frequencies, fixing the problem.
“There are no ongoing disruptions,” said a spokesperson from Australia’s Department of Defence.
Matthew Harrison, head of a New Zealand internet company called Primo, said the event was unlike anything he had seen before. He described it as a “full-scale, military-grade radar” wave moving with the ship and knocking devices offline as it passed.
The HMAS Canberra is visiting Wellington to celebrate the sister-city relationship between Canberra and Wellington. The crew will be welcomed with a parade and concert this weekend.
