
Audio By Carbonatix
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 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 to the BBC, a spokesperson for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said they had not received a distress call from the Coral Adventurer.
It added they were monitoring the situation and would support PNG authorities if necessary.
No decisions have been made about the current 12-day voyage, which was due to finish on 30 December.
There were 80 passengers and 43 crew members aboard the ship at the time of the incident. The 12-day voyage was due to finish on 30 December.
The Coral Adventurer is currently the subject of a joint investigation by AMSA and Queensland Police, after the death of Suzanne Rees, the 80-year-old passenger who was found dead on Lizard Island on 26 October.
Ms Rees had been hiking on the island with fellow passengers, but broke off from the group for a rest.
The ship left without her and returned several hours later after the crew realised the woman was missing.
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. The remainder of the cruise was cancelled with full refunds offered to all passengers.
The CEO of Coral Expeditions, Mark Fifield, said that the company was "deeply sorry that this has occurred" and had offered its full support to the Rees family.
Fifield added that the cruise operator was "working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation".
AMSA was not able to comment on the status of the investigation, and told the BBC that it was "not in the practice of making the results of its investigations public".
Latest Stories
-
Africa can no longer rely on foreign aid for healthcare – Deputy Health Minister
9 minutes -
COCOBOD’s shift to local market financing is the right move – BoG
13 minutes -
Minority labels economy a ‘galamsey economy’, questions government’s growth claims ahead of budget review
14 minutes -
Joy FM’s Showbiz Roundtable to assess Mahama administration’s performance in tourism, culture and creative arts
14 minutes -
Finance Ministry must fund GoldBod operations after BoG exit – Economist
14 minutes -
BoG to sell remaining stakes in ADB, NIB – Dr. Asiama
23 minutes -
Ghana, Netherlands deepen security cooperation to combat organised crime and drug trafficking
26 minutes -
JoyNews’ Digital Economy forum aiming to shape Ghana’s digital future comes off tonight
32 minutes -
Africa must fund its own health systems to achieve universal healthcare – African Union Commissioner for Health
32 minutes -
UNFPA Ghana, Prudential Life Insurance graduate 25 former head porters in painting and tiling skills
34 minutes -
BoG Governor assures Ghana’s foreign reserves remain strong despite decline
41 minutes -
BoG to engage industry actors in operationalising virtual asset law
45 minutes -
Cedi depreciates 9.5% against dollar in interbank market
55 minutes -
Transparency International flags implementation gap in Ghana’s defence accountability systems
1 hour -
MPC keeps policy rate at 14%, cites inflation risks due to Middle East tensions
1 hour