Passengers on a luxury cruise have branded their experience "disappointing" and "disgraceful" after their vessel ran aground and left them stranded at sea off the coast of Papua New Guinea for four days.
A Luxury Voyage Turns into a Maritime Ordeal
The Coral Adventurer, carrying 123 people including 80 Australians, set sail from Cairns on a 12-day luxury expedition on December 18. Each passenger had paid upwards of $13,000 for the trip. The journey unravelled on December 27 when the ship struck a reef off the Finschaffen Coast, east of Lae and approximately 30km north of Port Moresby.
According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, the collision caused the ship to list six degrees to port (left). While no injuries were reported, the incident left passengers stranded for the final four days of their intended itinerary, casting a pall over what was meant to be a premium holiday.
Passenger Outrage and Company Response
After finally disembarking and taking a chartered flight that landed in Cairns on Tuesday night, frustrated travellers vented to waiting media. One described feeling "disappointed, disillusioned and it's disgraceful." Another passenger, Ursula Daus from Berlin, expressed fears for her safety, stating she felt "in danger" during the ordeal.
"And then they said we are safe for another four days. And it was horrible," Ms Daus told reporters. In response to the crisis, Coral Expeditions issued an apology and stated that initial diver inspections found no significant damage to the hull. The company has offered affected travellers refunds or discounts for future voyages.
Ongoing Investigations and a Troubled History
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has detained the vessel as it investigates the causes of the grounding. It is understood the Coral Adventurer was successfully refloated on New Year's Eve following a multi-agency operation involving Pacific Towing Tugboats and the Lae Water Police.
This latest maritime crisis compounds scrutiny on the operator, coming just two months after the death of passenger Suzanne Rees, 80. The New South Wales grandmother was left behind on Lizard Island during an October cruise and died after a delayed search. Investigations into that tragic incident are continuing.
Following the Papua New Guinea grounding, passengers were transported by bus to Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport for their flight home. The Coral Adventurer is expected to return to Cairns once official clearance is granted.
