The Australian-flagged Coral Adventurer, carrying 80 passengers and 44 crew, ran aground on a reef off Papua New Guinea’s eastern coast early Saturday morning. The incident occurred at 05:25 local time during a transit through Morobe, Madang, and Sepik provinces.
Strong currents reportedly pushed the vessel onto a high-reef area typically avoided by local navigators, leaving the ship with a 6-degree list to port. While the National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) confirmed no hull damage or environmental leaks, Morobe Police Commander Ch Supt Samson Siguyaru has issued a detention notice, declaring the ship temporarily unseaworthy.
Following unsuccessful refloating attempts by the ship’s engines and a tugboat on Sunday, Coral Expeditions terminated the voyage. All passengers are being repatriated to Australia. This incident marks the second recent bout of scrutiny for the vessel, following a previous grounding on the Great Barrier Reef.