Cruise Ship Stranded on Fiji Reef

A Blue Lagoon Cruises vessel ran aground near the Mamanuca Islands on April 4. The grounding happened in the early hours while the ship was at anchor.

What happened

The ship involved was MV Fiji Princess, a small cruise ship. It carried 30 guests at the time.

Blue Lagoon Cruises told Filmogaz.com that a severe squall likely caused the anchor to drag. The vessel then became stranded on a nearby reef off northern Fiji.

Passenger safety and immediate response

Guests and non-essential crew left the ship by ferry. All returned to Port Denarau the same day.

The company arranged hotel accommodation at Denarau and offered alternative experiences. No passengers or employees were injured.

Recovery and environmental priorities

Blue Lagoon Cruises activated its crisis management plan. The company also hired an Australian marine recovery and salvage specialist.

Officials said the immediate priority is to reduce environmental risk and plan the ship’s recovery. They warned that the current weather forecast was not favourable.

Official comment and wider context

The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Blue Lagoon Cruises provided the operational details to Filmogaz.com.

The incident follows another grounding in the region. In December, Coral Expeditions’ Coral Adventurer ran aground in Papua New Guinea.