Passengers Return to Ferry After it is Refloated off Fiji
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fji and a local ferry company called Goundar Shipping are reporting the safe recovery after one of the company’s ferries grounded overnight. The authorities had been closely monitoring the situation as 245 passengers were aboard the stranded vessel.
Lomaiviti Princess VII (600 gross tons) was underway on Wednesday, November 27, when it stranded on a reef near Moala Island, the ninth-largest island of Fiji, located southeast of the capital of Suva. The ferry, which was built in Japan in 1992, has been sailing under the flag of Fiji since 2019. She is a Ro-Ro with a length overall of 216 feet (66 meters) and a capacity for up to approximately 150 cars or 40 trucks. It is unclear what the total passenger capacity is for the vessel.
The Maritime Safety Authority was informed of the grounding at approximately 7:00 p.m. local time and said an emergency response was immediately begun. Life jackets were supplied to the 245 passengers onboard and the 33 crewmembers. They reported that there were no signs of a hull breach and that water ingress had not been reported.
The first efforts to refloat the vessel were unsuccessful. Another of the company’s ferries, the Ro-Ro Lady Daya, another Japanese-built ferry that is 1,500 gross tons, was directed to meet up with its stranded fleet mate. The passengers were transferred to the second ferry for their safety, but at high tide, the reports said they were able to refloat the stranded vessel.
Divers inspected the hull of the Lomaiviti Princess VII and determined that the ship had not suffered significant damage. The decision was made to return passengers bound for Totoya and Matuka to the first vessel, and it is again underway. Passengers bound for Moala remained on the Lady Daya which resumed its trip after an approximate 12-hour delay. She will then proceed to Sava.
The company has a checkered history and has apologized to Fijians for its poor service. In 2019, the Fiji Maritime Authority reported it would stop the operation due to safety concerns. This year, the Lomaiviti Princess VII got stuck at Vunisea Jetty on Kadavu Island in March and had to be towed to Suva. Goundar Shipping in July launched the newly acquired Lady Daya and apologized for past service problems, especially in the prior six months. Goundar told FBC News it was confident that it could win back the trust of the passengers.
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