The Australian cruise ship Coral Adventurer, which is already the subject of a serious investigation after a passenger was left behind and later died, has run aground off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The incident occurred with more than 120 passengers and crew members on board.
Grounding Incident Near Lae
The vessel ran aground in the early hours of Saturday morning, approximately 30 kilometres from Lae, Papua New Guinea's second-largest city. The operator, Coral Expeditions, swiftly confirmed that no injuries were reported among those aboard.
A spokesperson stated, "Coral Adventurer had a grounding incident in coastal Papua New Guinea yesterday. All passengers and crew are safe." They added that an initial inspection showed no apparent damage to the ship's hull.
The incident has been formally reported to the relevant authorities. As a standard procedure, further official inspections of the hull and the surrounding marine environment are planned. Meanwhile, passengers have been disembarked onto land in Papua New Guinea while a specialist team works to refloat the vessel.
Background: The Lizard Island Tragedy
This grounding follows a tragic prior incident for which the Coral Adventurer is under investigation. In October, an 80-year-old passenger from Sydney, Suzanne Rees, died after being left behind during a shore excursion on Lizard Island.
The incident happened on just the second day of a planned 60-day luxury circumnavigation of Australia. Rees became separated from her hiking group, and her absence was not noted until she failed to appear for dinner at around 6pm.
By the time the ship's crew initiated a search and turned the vessel around at 8.43pm, satellite data indicates the Coral Adventurer was approximately 100 kilometres away. A combined land and sea search was launched, but Rees's body was found on the island on Sunday, 26 October.
Voyage Cancelled and Ongoing Fallout
In the wake of the tragedy, the cruise company made the decision to terminate the entire voyage early. All remaining passengers were flown home from the Torres Strait islands.
Mark Fifield, Chief Executive Officer of Coral Expeditions, cited "the tragic passing of Suzanne Rees and previous mechanical issues" as reasons for cancelling the remainder of the trip. He confirmed that passengers would receive a full refund.
The luxury cruise, which accommodates up to 120 guests, commands premium fares. According to a listing on Clean Cruising, balcony rooms for the circumnavigation were priced at $86,400 per person.
The dual incidents represent a significant crisis for the operator, combining a heartbreaking human tragedy with a serious operational incident that now requires a successful salvage operation in Papua New Guinea's waters.
