UPDATE: The Coral Adventurer cruise ship has run aground off the coast of Papua New Guinea, with 80 passengers and 43 crew members on board. The incident occurred last week, and authorities are urgently working to refloat the vessel, which has been heeled over approximately 6 degrees to port.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) confirmed the vessel hit a reef off the Finschaffen Coast, east of Lae, and an investigation is currently underway. The ATSB was alerted to the situation at around 5 AM local time on December 27, 2025. Fortunately, all passengers and crew members have been reported uninjured.
Initial attempts to refloat the ship using its own engines were unsuccessful. Operators have since engaged a towage provider to assist with the operation, which is still ongoing. The extent of damage to the ship’s hull is currently unknown, but no water ingress has been reported.
This incident adds to concerns following the tragic death of Suzanne Rees, an 80-year-old passenger from New South Wales, who was found dead on remote Lizard Island earlier in October. Her death prompted multiple investigations from the AMSA and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, heightening scrutiny on the cruise line.
The cruise, which costs $13,280 per person, departed from Cairns on December 18 and reached Papua New Guinea on December 20. Passengers were scheduled to conclude their journey and disembark on December 30.
The ATSB is actively monitoring the situation and plans to conduct interviews and collect data once conditions permit. Data from the ship’s voyage recorder has been quarantined as part of the investigation, with officials gathering essential evidence including ship tracking data and weather conditions.
As this situation develops, all eyes will be on the Coral Adventurer’s refloating efforts and the ongoing investigations. Stay tuned for further updates on this urgent maritime incident.
