Salvage crews in Fiji are working to prevent an oil spill after a cruise ship ran aground off the island on which the 2000 Tom Hanks film Cast Away was filmed.
The Blue Lagoon Cruises vessel Fiji Princess grounded at a reef near the uninhabited Monuriki Island on Saturday, according to Fiji’s maritime rescue agency.
All 30 passengers and 17 of its 31 crew were taken off the vessel the same day. There have been no injuries reported.
The company has been contacted for comment.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (Msaf) said its officers had arrived to assess the stricken ship on Saturday.
“Initial checks confirmed that the vessel has suffered serious damage to its rear left side, including the area where the steering equipment is located. Part of the vessel underneath has also been damaged,” a spokesperson said.
“The vessel also experienced engine failure and was reported to be taking in water following the grounding. Due to rough seas and strong waves, officers were unable to safely inspect the vessel underwater at the time.”
An Msaf spokesperson said the main priority on Monday was to reduce the risk of pollution.
The vessel was carrying about 20,000 litres of diesel fuel. The spokesperson said authorities had taken oil spill equipment to the area “as a precaution” but that the sea conditions were too rough for it to be used.
“At the time of inspection, there were no signs that the fuel tanks had been damaged,” the spokesperson said.
Salvage teams were working to remove the fuel and oil from the vessel, with the assistance of a salvage specialist from Australia.
Once the weather improved, further work would begin to recover the vessel safely, the spokesperson said.
“Msaf’s main concern at this time is the safety of all personnel, the protection of Fiji’s marine environment, and ensuring that response efforts continue safely,” they said.
“Msaf will continue to work closely with the vessel operator and all response teams, and will provide further updates as necessary.”
Monuriki Island, about 45km west of the city of Nadi, was the filming location for the 2000 film Cast Away. It is part of the Mamanuca Island chain, on which the US version of reality show Survivor has been filmed since 2016.
Blue Lagoon Cruises advertises the Fiji Princess as being small enough to “get so close to shore that we can tie off to a coconut tree, and you can swim to the beach”.
Evacuated passengers and crew were taken back to Port Denarau.
The remaining crew were aiding salvage efforts, and were being berthed on Fiji Princess’s sister ship, Cougar, for safety reasons.