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, around 30km (18 miles) from the city of Lae, a spokesperson for the ship said.
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 will take place on Sunday.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) stated they had not received a distress call from the Coral Adventurer and added they were monitoring the situation while prepared to support PNG authorities if required.
No decisions have been made regarding the current 12-day voyage, which was due to finish on December 30.
At the time of the incident, there were 80 passengers and 43 crew members aboard the ship. The 12-day voyage was supposed to conclude on December 30.
The Coral Adventurer is currently the subject of a joint investigation by AMSA and Queensland Police after the death of Suzanne Rees, who was found dead on Lizard Island on October 26. Ms. Rees had been hiking on the island with fellow passengers but had taken a break from the group. She was left behind when the ship departed, and a major search operation found her body the following day.
The ship was just two days into a 60-day voyage at the time of Ms. Rees's death, leading to the cancellation of the rest of the cruise with full refunds offered to passengers.
Mark Fifield, CEO of Coral Expeditions, expressed deep remorse over the incident and committed to fully support the Rees family. The cruise operator is collaborating closely with Queensland Police and other authorities as investigations continue, although AMSA has not confirmed the status of the investigation.
