The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has detained the Australian-flagged cruise ship Coral Adventurer, which is currently aground off the coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
AMSA has detained the vessel in accordance with the Navigation Act 2012, based on reasonable suspicion that it is not seaworthy due to potential damage sustained during the grounding, and that it is sub‑standard as a result of failures in the implementation of its safety management system under the International Safety Management Code.
AMSA has been working closely with the ship's operator, the vessel’s classification society and the National Maritime Safety Authority-PNG.
The incident involving Coral Adventurer, a cruise ship operated by Australia-based Coral Expeditions, occurred on December 27 when it struck a reef some 30 kilometres from the city of Lae. No injuries were reported.
According to PNG local media, the ship encountered strong currents while en route to Madang province, causing it to strike the reef.
Coral Adventurer has also been at the centre of another AMSA investigation since late October of last year when one of the ship's passengers died after reportedly being left behind on a remote island near the Great Barrier Reef.
According to AMSA, 80-year-old Australian national Suzanne Rees had gone hiking on Lizard Island as part of a group from Coral Adventurer on October 25.
The crew did not realise that Rees was not on board until later that evening after the ship had already departed the island.
Rees' body was only found the following morning during an aerial search of the island. Her remains were recovered hours later.