A cruise ship has run aground in Papua New Guinea (PNG), on its first trip following the death of an elderly passenger in late October.

The Coral Adventurer is currently under investigation for the death of Suzanne Rees, 80, who died on a remote Australian island after being left behind by the ship.

On Saturday, the vessel suffered a grounding incident off the eastern coast of Papua New Guinea, approximately 30km (18 miles) from Lae, a spokesperson for the ship confirmed.

All passengers and crew aboard the cruise ship have been reported safe, and initial inspections have not revealed any damage to the hull. Further inspections are planned for Sunday.

In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) noted they had not received a distress call from the Coral Adventurer.

The authority added that they are monitoring the situation and ready to assist PNG authorities as needed.

No decisions have been made about the current 12-day voyage, which is scheduled to conclude on December 30.

There were 80 passengers and 43 crew aboard during the incident. The cruise was meant to cover several locations in the region.

The Coral Adventurer is currently the subject of a joint investigation by AMSA and Queensland Police following the death of Suzanne Rees, an elderly passenger found dead on Lizard Island on October 26.

Ms. Rees had been on a hiking excursion with fellow passengers but took a break, leading the ship to leave her behind. A search operation subsequently located her body the next day.

When the incident occurred, the ship was just two days into a 60-day journey. The remaining legs of that voyage were canceled, and full refunds were offered to all passengers.

Mark Fifield, CEO of Coral Expeditions, expressed his deep regret regarding the events and pledged full support to Ms. Rees’s family.

Fifield emphasized the operator's diligence in collaborating with Queensland Police and other authorities during the ongoing investigation.

AMSA has stated it cannot comment further on the investigation and does not typically disclose the findings publicly.