30 passengers evacuate after cruise ship in Fiji

Thirty passengers were evacuated from a cruise ship that ran aground on a reef in Fiji, the ship’s owner said on Monday. The MV Fiji Princess, operated by Blue Lagoon Cruises, ran aground Saturday near Monuriki Island, scene of the 2000 movie starring Tom Hanks, “Cast Away,” the Fiji-based tourism company said in a statement.

“Whilst the investigation is in its early stages, conditions upon the ship anchoring in the area were calm, and it appears a severe squall caused the ship’s anchor to drag towards a nearby reef, whereby the ship became grounded,” the statement said. A ferry was brought alongside the 55.52-metre (182-foot) ship at first light on Sunday, and 30 passengers disembarked with their luggage and belongings. No one was injured.

The passengers were taken to Denarau Island.

Blue Lagoon Cruises said pumpable fuel as well as other oils stored onboard the ship had been removed by Monday, diminishing environmental risks.

A salvage specialist from Australia had been on the scene since Sunday, overseeing recovery efforts, the statement said. The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, an industry regulator, did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.