A total of 30 passengers were successfully evacuated from the MV Fiji Princess, a cruise ship that ran aground on a reef near Monuriki Island in Fiji. This incident occurred on Saturday, as reported by Blue Lagoon Cruises, the ship’s operator. Monuriki Island is famously known as the filming location for the movie Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks.
According to initial assessments, conditions were calm when the ship anchored. However, a severe squall caused the anchor to drag, leading the vessel to become stranded on the reef. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the passengers.
Early on Sunday morning, a ferry was dispatched to the grounded ship, allowing the passengers to safely disembark along with their luggage. They were subsequently transported to Denarau Island. In line with environmental safety measures, Blue Lagoon Cruises reported that all pumpable fuel and oils on board had been removed by Monday, greatly reducing any potential environmental impact.
Recovery efforts are underway, overseen by an Australian salvage expert who has been present since Sunday. Meanwhile, the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, the body responsible for maritime regulation, has yet to provide any comments on the incident.
With the situation under control and all passengers accounted for, the focus remains on ensuring the safe recovery of the MV Fiji Princess and preventing any adverse environmental effects.