The Australian cruise ship Coral Adventurer is stuck on a reef off the coast of Papua New Guinea, forcing the operator to cancel the voyage and arrange charter flights for all passengers back to Australia.
Ship Grounding and Rescue Efforts
The vessel ran aground at approximately 6:57 am local time on Saturday morning, roughly 30 kilometres from Papua New Guinea's second city, Lae. It was carrying 80 passengers and 40 crew members at the time. No injuries have been reported.
A tug boat was sent to the site on Sunday to attempt to pull the 60-metre ship free. However, these efforts proved unsuccessful. The ship reportedly settled on the coral reef with a six-degree list to its port side.
In a statement on Monday, a spokesperson for Coral Expeditions confirmed the decision to end the tour. "Acknowledging that we have not been able to deliver the exceptional experience expected by our guests on this occasion, Coral Expeditions has decided to end the tour," they said.
Passenger Evacuation and Ongoing Investigation
All passengers were safely taken ashore to Papua New Guinea following the grounding. The company has arranged a charter flight to repatriate them to Cairns, Australia, from where the ill-fated voyage departed on 18 December. The flight is expected to depart as early as Tuesday.
The operator stated that initial inspections show no apparent damage to the vessel, but a comprehensive hull and environmental survey will be conducted once it is refloated. The company continues to work with the Papua New Guinea National Maritime Safety Authority on recovery plans.
Shadow of a Previous Incident
This incident compounds existing scrutiny on the Coral Adventurer. The ship was already under investigation following the death of passenger Suzanne Rees, 80, from Sydney, in October.
Ms Rees was allegedly left behind on Lizard Island during a shore excursion. Her body was found after a search was launched when she failed to appear for dinner. That previous voyage was also terminated early, with passengers flown home from the Torres Strait islands.
The current grounding occurred on the ship's first voyage since that tragic event. The two incidents are described by authorities as separate and unrelated.
