MELBOURNE, Australia — Thirty passengers had been evacuated from a cruise ship that ran aground on a reef in Fiji, the ship’s proprietor mentioned Monday.
The MV Fiji Princess, operated by Blue Lagoon Cruises, ran aground Saturday close to Monuriki Island, scene of the 2000 film starring Tom Hanks “ Cast Away,” the Fiji-based tourism firm mentioned in a press release.
“While the investigation is in its early levels, situations upon the ship anchoring within the space had been calm, and it seems a extreme squall triggered the ship’s anchor to pull in direction of a close-by reef whereby the ship grew to become grounded,” the assertion mentioned.
A ferry was introduced alongside the 55.52-meter (182-foot) ship at first gentle on Sunday and 30 passengers disembarked with their baggage and belongings. Nobody was injured.
The passengers had been taken to Denarau Island.
Blue Lagoon Cruises mentioned pumpable gas in addition to different oils saved onboard the ship had been eliminated by Monday, diminishing environmental dangers.
A salvage specialist from Australia had been on the scene since Sunday overseeing restoration efforts, the assertion mentioned.
The Maritime Security Authority of Fiji, an trade regulator, didn’t reply to a request for remark Monday.
