All 245 passengers and 33 crew members from the MV Lomaiviti Princess 7, which ran aground on a reef south of Moala Island yesterday evening, have been successfully evacuated.
The Republic of Fiji Navy’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Fiji) stated they had activated Search and Rescue mechanisms immediately after receiving the alert. Their priorities, the RCC said, were “to ensure the safety of all lives onboard and ascertain any immediate threat to the environment.”
The vessel MV Lady Daya arrived on the scene early this morning to assist. Although the initial attempt to tow the Lomaiviti Princess 7 off the reef was unsuccessful, all passengers were safely transferred to the Lady Daya without injury. A second attempt to tow the vessel will be made at high tide this afternoon.
According to RCC Fiji, “latest reports indicate all persons are safe with no injuries and there are no concerns with regards to vessel integrity at this time.”
The coordinated efforts involved multiple stakeholders, including the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF), which has been kept fully informed.
RCC Fiji adds that they will “continue to monitor the situation” and focus on “the safety of life and mitigating any potential threat to the environment.”
Any investigation into the incident and how it came about will be carried out by MSAF.
Related Articles:
