A cruise ship operated by an Australian company has run aground off the coast of Papua New Guinea, stranding dozens of passengers and crew. The incident is the latest in a series of crises for the vessel, which was involved in a fatal incident just two months ago.
Vessel Strikes Reef in Early Morning Incident
The Coral Adventurer struck a reef approximately 30 kilometres off the coast of Lae in the early hours of Saturday morning. Lae is situated north of the Papua New Guinea capital, Port Moresby. The grounding occurred at around 6am local time.
Official reports confirm that 80 passengers and 43 crew members were on the ship at the time of the incident, totalling 123 people. An officer from the Papua New Guinea Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre has boarded the vessel to assist. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has stated that everyone onboard is safe.
A spokesman for the ship's operator, Cairns-based Coral Expeditions, said: 'The incident has been reported to authorities and will undergo further official inspections to the hull and marine environment as a standard procedure.' The company has been asked when passengers will be able to disembark safely and reach shore.
Fresh Controversy Follows Previous Tragedy
This grounding has ignited fresh controversy for Coral Expeditions, as it comes just weeks after a tragic incident involving the same ship. In October, an 80-year-old Australian grandmother, Suzanne Rees from New South Wales, died after being left behind on Lizard Island during a stopover.
Ms Rees was a passenger on a luxury circumnavigation of Australia, with tickets costing up to $80,000. She had been hiking to the summit of the Great Barrier Reef island's highest peak but turned back alone after becoming too tired to continue. Serious questions were raised about a five-hour delay in launching a search after she failed to reboard the Coral Adventurer.
Ongoing Voyage and Investigation
The current voyage where the grounding occurred departed from Cairns on December 18 and was scheduled to end on December 30. The future itinerary is now uncertain as authorities assess the damage.
The sequence of events raises significant concerns about operational safety and passenger welfare for the cruise operator. The standard inspections of the hull and marine environment will now be a critical part of the official response to this latest incident.
