An Australian-registered cruise ship has run aground on a reef off the coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG), forcing an early end to its voyage, just weeks after the vessel became the focus of a separate investigation into the death of an elderly passenger in Australia.

The Coral Adventurer, operated by Coral Expeditions, grounded early on Saturday off the Finschhafen Coast, around 30 kilometres east of Lae, PNG’s second-largest city. At the time of the incident, 80 passengers and 43 crew members were on board.

No injuries have been reported, and all passengers and crew are safe. Initial inspections carried out on board did not identify any immediate damage to the ship’s hull, although further checks are planned once the vessel is successfully refloated.

Efforts to refloat the ship were continuing as of Monday. Information provided to investigators indicated that the vessel was heeled approximately six degrees to port, and initial attempts to free it using its own engines were unsuccessful.

The ship’s operator has since engaged a towage provider to assist with the recovery. While the extent of any hull damage remains unclear, authorities have said there have been no reports of water ingress.

The incident is being investigated by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) also involved.

Investigators are expected to board the vessel when conditions allow to conduct interviews and gather evidence, including data from the ship’s voyage data recorder, tracking information, weather conditions and operational and maintenance records.

AMSA said it had not received a distress call from the Coral Adventurer but confirmed it was aware of the grounding and was monitoring the situation. The authority added that it stood ready to assist PNG authorities if support was requested.

Local authorities in Papua New Guinea are also assessing the situation. The country’s national broadcaster reported that police in Morobe Province confirmed the ship ran aground while en route towards Madang Province and the Sepik River, after encountering strong sea currents.

Inspections are also expected to assess any potential damage to nearby coral reefs at Dregerhafen Point, where the grounding occurred.

Following the incident, Coral Expeditions decided to end the cruise early, acknowledging it could not deliver the planned experience to passengers.

The voyage, originally scheduled to last 12 days and conclude on 30 December, has been cancelled, and passengers are being flown home from PNG on a chartered flight.

The grounding comes while the Coral Adventurer is still under investigation over the death of 80-year-old passenger Suzanne Rees, who was found dead on Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, on 26 October. AMSA and Queensland Police are jointly investigating that incident.

Ms Rees had been hiking on the island with other passengers but separated from the group after feeling unwell. The ship later departed the island and returned several hours afterwards when crew realised she was missing.

A major search operation was launched, and her body was recovered the following day. The vessel had been just two days into a 60-day voyage at the time, which was subsequently cancelled with full refunds offered to passengers.

In response to the earlier incident, maritime authorities said they were examining passenger monitoring procedures, including headcount practices and staffing levels, which are required on commercial passenger vessels to ensure all passengers are accounted for during shore activities.

Coral Expeditions, which is owned by NRMA, operates three small expedition ships: the Coral Adventurer, Coral Geographer and Coral Discoverer. The operator has previously said it was cooperating fully with authorities investigating Ms Rees’s death and has confirmed that no injuries occurred during the PNG grounding.

Both incidents are now being investigated separately, with authorities expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the grounding and whether safety and operational procedures were followed.

References: BBC, ABC