A group of cruise ship travelers was rescued from an isolated island after their high-end vessel collided with a reef and became stuck.
The Fiji Princess, operated by Blue Lagoon, found itself stranded near Monuriki Island, known as the scenic filming spot for the movie Cast Away starring Tom Hanks in 2000. Around 30 passengers were successfully evacuated and transported to the shore, including their belongings, on the day following the incident.
At the break of dawn, a ferry safely transferred the passengers to a secure location before they were relocated, along with 30 crew members, to Port Denarau.
According to the Fiji Navy as reported by ABC News, all individuals were rescued without any injuries and were promptly moved to [Port] Denarau. The Navy mentioned that some crew members remained on the ship, and everyone was accounted for and safe.
Blue Lagoon Cruises stated that an investigation is underway regarding the incident, with initial findings indicating that a strong storm caused the ship’s anchor to drift towards a nearby reef, resulting in it becoming stuck.
The company confirmed that any pumpable fuel or oil onboard was extracted to minimize the potential environmental impact. An Australian salvage expert had been present at the site since the day of the incident to supervise the recovery operations.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (Msaf) dispatched officers to evaluate the vessel on the day of the incident. An Msaf spokesperson noted that preliminary assessments revealed significant damage to the ship’s rear left side, including the steering equipment area, and the lower part of the vessel had also sustained harm.
Additionally, the vessel encountered engine problems and was reportedly taking in water after hitting the reef. Due to harsh sea conditions, inspectors could not safely examine the ship underwater at that time.
