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9h ago

Coral Adventurer Detained After PNG Grounding as Investigators Deploy

Regulators opened a safety probe into the NRMA-owned cruise vessel following its refloating, with passengers already repatriated.

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Initial efforts to haul the Coral Adventurer off the reef near PNG failed, but it's been refloated. (HANDOUT/Coral Expeditions)
A woman with a bag talks to a man angrily.

Overview

  • The expedition ship struck a reef near Finschhafen around 5:30am Saturday local time, stranding about 123 people including 43 crew.
  • A tug from Lae refloated the vessel on Tuesday and it is now at anchor pending detailed inspections.
  • All passengers and non‑essential crew were transferred to Lae and flown to Cairns on a charter flight, with no injuries reported.
  • AMSA detained the ship on reasonable suspicion it may be unseaworthy after the grounding, while the ATSB quarantined the voyage data recorder and is sending investigators to PNG.
  • Initial dives reported no significant hull damage, as authorities assess environmental impacts and scrutinize safety practices following the October death of passenger Suzanne Rees.