A passenger onboard the Coral Adventurer has told the ABC she won’t travel with the luxury cruise liner again, after it was grounded on a reef off Papua New Guinea at the weekend.
Ursula Daus alleged her life was in “danger” as a result of the incident. But other passengers told the ABC their experience was more positive, after landing at Cairns airport on Tuesday.
The Coral Adventurer was refloated on Tuesday with the assistance of a tug.
It grounded on Saturday off the east coast of PNG, about 90km from the nation’s second-largest city, Lae. None of the ship’s 80 passengers and 43 crew were injured.
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The vessel was detained by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority out of concern it was unseaworthy due to potential damage.
A separate incident on the Coral Adventurer’s previous voyage was already under investigation. A passenger, Suzanne Rees, died after allegedly being left behind on an excursion in October.
The 80-year-old from Sydney was allegedly left on Lizard Island, off the coast of far north Queensland, where she was found dead after a subsequent search.
Coral Expeditions, the Cairns-based luxury cruise line company that operates the Coral Adventurer, cancelled the latest voyage on Monday.
Passengers were flown to Cairns on Tuesday.
Interviewed at Cairns airport, Daus told the ABC the situation was “chaotic”. She said she would “never, ever again” travel with the company.
Marilyn Walter said the grounding was “just a little jar, that’s all”.
“We had a wonderful time,” she told the ABC.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the incident.
A preliminary report is expected in about two months, unless a critical safety issue is identified during the investigation, which would lead to a quicker response.
A spokesperson for Coral Expeditions said the vessel is at anchor.
“Initial inspections by certified divers found no significant damage to the vessel’s hull. Divers are continuing their work today to conduct further assessments of the vessel and local marine environment,” they said.
“Pending the outcome of local investigations, the vessel will then travel to Cairns and Coral Expeditions crew and staff will assist local authorities in further investigations.
“Coral Expeditions sincerely regrets the grounding of its vessel and apologies to our passengers for the disruption they experienced. All passengers and non-essential crew have now been successfully repatriated home or to onward connections. Passengers have also been offered refunds for the affected leg of the journey or credits for future travel.”
