A major cruise ship carrying 124 people has run aground off the coast of Papua New Guinea, prompting a complex evacuation and a formal safety investigation.
Vessel Stranded After Failed Refloating Attempts
The incident involving the Coral Adventurer cruise ship occurred on Saturday. The vessel, with 80 passengers and 44 crew members on board, became stuck. Efforts to free it using its own engines and with the assistance of a tug boat proved unsuccessful.
Local police confirmed that, despite the grounding, there was no major damage reported to the ship's hull. The 80 passengers had begun their journey in Cairns, Australia, before the vessel encountered trouble in Papua New Guinean waters.
Passenger Evacuation and Ongoing Investigations
The focus has now shifted to repatriating those on board. Authorities have arranged for all passengers to be flown back to Australia from the city of Lae.
In response to the incident, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched a safety investigation into the causes of the grounding. This probe adds to existing scrutiny on the vessel's operations.
Previous Tragedy Under Separate Investigation
This grounding comes just weeks after a separate, tragic event linked to the same ship. An 80-year-old passenger, Suzanne Rees, died after being left behind on Lizard Island during a previous voyage. That event remains under its own active investigation, casting a shadow over the vessel's recent operational history.
The dual investigations by safety authorities will seek to determine the factors behind both the recent grounding and the prior fatal incident, raising significant questions about maritime safety protocols.
