Cruise Ship Grounds in Papua New Guinea Amidst Ongoing Death Investigation
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A cruise ship, the Coral Adventurer, ran aground off the coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Saturday, approximately 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Lae. This incident occurs as the vessel is under investigation following the death of an 80-year-old passenger, Suzanne Rees, in late October.
Grounding Incident and Passenger Safety
According to a statement released by a ship spokesperson, the grounding incident occurred on Saturday. Fortunately, all 80 passengers and 43 crew members aboard the ship have been reported safe, and preliminary assessments indicate no damage to the hull.Further inspections are scheduled for Sunday to fully assess the situation.
Notably, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) confirmed to the BBC that they did not receive a distress call from the Coral Adventurer. Though, AMSA stated they are closely monitoring the situation and prepared to assist PNG authorities if needed. The future of the current 12-day voyage, scheduled to conclude on December 30, remains uncertain, with no decisions yet made regarding its continuation.
Investigation into Passenger Death
The grounding comes as the Coral Adventurer is already the subject of a joint investigation by AMSA and Queensland Police concerning the death of suzanne Rees.Ms. Rees was found deceased on Lizard Island on October 26 after being inadvertently left behind during a stop on a 60-day voyage.
The circumstances surrounding Ms. Rees’s death are deeply concerning. Reports indicate she had been hiking with fellow passengers but separated from the group to rest. The ship departed without her, and it was only several hours later that the crew realized she was missing. A subsequent search operation ultimately recovered her body the following day. The remainder of the 60-day cruise was cancelled, and full refunds were offered to all passengers.
Company Response and Ongoing Scrutiny
The CEO of Coral Expeditions, Mark Fifield, expressed the company’s sorrow, stating they were “deeply sorry that this has occurred” and offered full support to the Rees family. Fifield also affirmed the cruise operator’s commitment to “working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation.”
However, AMSA has indicated it is “not in the practice of making the results of its investigations public,” leaving many questions unanswered regarding both the death of Ms.Rees and the recent grounding incident. the unfolding events raise serious questions about safety protocols and operational procedures aboard the Coral Adventurer,and will likely lead to increased scrutiny of the cruise line’s practices.
Here’s a breakdown of how the questions are answered within the edited article:
* Why: The article details two separate incidents: a grounding off the coast of PNG and the death of passenger Suzanne Rees.The grounding’s cause is still under investigation, while rees’ death occurred after she was accidentally left on Lizard Island.
* Who: Key entities involved are Coral Expeditions (the cruise line), Suzanne Rees (the deceased passenger), AMSA (Australian maritime Safety Authority), Queensland Police, and the 80 passengers and 43 crew members aboard the Coral Adventurer.
* What: The coral Adventurer ran aground and is under investigation for the death of a passenger.
* How did it end?: The grounding resulted in all passengers and crew being safe, with hull damage initially appearing minimal. The 60-day cruise
