A group of cruise ship travelers were rescued from a secluded island after their luxurious vessel collided with a reef and became stranded.
The Fiji Princess, managed by Blue Lagoon, found itself marooned near Monuriki Island, famously known as the filming location for the movie Cast Away starring Tom Hanks in 2000. Approximately 30 passengers were successfully rescued and ferried to shore, along with their belongings, the day after the ship struck the reef.
At daybreak, a ferry transported the passengers to safety before transferring them and 30 crew members to Port Denarau.
According to the Fiji Navy speaking to ABC News, all individuals were safely rescued and relocated to Port Denarau. While some crew members remained aboard, no injuries were reported, and everyone was accounted for.
Blue Lagoon Cruises mentioned that an inquiry into the incident is underway, with early findings indicating that a severe squall caused the ship’s anchor to drag towards a nearby reef, leading to its grounding.
The company assured that any pumpable fuel or oil onboard had been extracted to mitigate potential environmental harm. An Australian salvage expert had been present since the incident to supervise recovery operations.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (Msaf) dispatched officials to inspect the vessel on Saturday, confirming substantial damage to the ship’s rear left side, including the steering equipment area. The underwater part of the vessel also sustained damage due to engine failure and water ingress following the grounding. Rough sea conditions prevented officers from conducting a safe underwater assessment at the time.
