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 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 PNG, around 30 km (18 miles) from the city of Lae, according to a spokesperson for the ship.
All passengers and crew aboard the cruise ship have been reported safe, and initial inspections did not reveal any damage to the hull. Further inspections are planned for Sunday.
In a statement, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) reported that it had not received a distress call from the Coral Adventurer but is monitoring the situation and is prepared to assist PNG authorities.
No decisions have yet been made regarding the current 12-day voyage, which is scheduled to conclude on 30 December.
At the time of the grounding, there were 80 passengers and 43 crew members aboard. The 12-day voyage was originally intended to finish on 30 December.
The Coral Adventurer is also the subject of a joint investigation by AMSA and Queensland Police after the death of Suzanne Rees, who was found dead on Lizard Island on 26 October.
Ms. Rees had been hiking with other passengers but separated from the group to rest. The ship left without her and returned hours later only after the crew realized she was missing. A major search operation discovered her body the following day.
The cruise was just two days into a 60-day voyage when Ms. Rees passed away, leading to the cancellation of the remainder of the cruise with full refunds for passengers. Coral Expeditions CEO Mark Fifield expressed deep regrets and is cooperating with the investigation by authorities.
AMSA has indicated that it does not comment on the status of ongoing investigations but does not typically make investigation results public.
