Coral Adventurer ran aground off Papua New Guinea on its first voyage after a previous incident, but all passengers and crew are safe.
The exploration vessel Coral Adventurer, which made headlines two months ago due to the controversial death of a passenger, ran aground on its first voyage following the incident off the coast of Papua New Guinea.
According to a statement from the operating company, the 2019-built vessel, with a capacity of 120 passengers, struck a reef near Dreghafen Point, approximately 15 nautical miles off the eastern coast of Papua New Guinea, near the city of Lae. Strong currents are believed to have contributed to the accident, as reported by Travel and Tour World.
All 80 passengers and 43 crew members aboard the vessel were reported safe, with no incidents of flooding or environmental pollution. An intervention officer from the Papua New Guinea government boarded the ship to assist with operations. AIS data provided by Pole Star Global indicated that as of Monday morning, the vessel remained in the same position.
Coral Adventurer had departed from Cairns, Australia, on December 18 for a Christmas-themed voyage. The ship was heading towards Ferguson Island and the Trobriand Islands, making numerous stops at small port towns and natural bays along the eastern coast of Papua New Guinea. The last stop of the journey was planned to be Madang, with a return scheduled to Cairns on January 11.
The vessel had also been in the news due to an investigation initiated by Australian authorities in October. The death of a woman, believed to have fallen during a shore excursion on Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef, became the subject of this investigation.
It was reported that the ship had left the island when the woman was reported missing but later returned to send crew members to assist. The next morning, a helicopter crew reached the woman's lifeless body. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) continues to investigate the incident, conducting interviews with the crew when the ship returned to Darwin Port.
The company's CEO, Mark Fifield, stated, "We are deeply saddened by the events as investigations continue regarding the incident. We extend our full support to the family of the deceased woman."
Source: www.denizhaber.com
