The Maritime Authority of Fiji (MSAF) is conducting an investigation into the grounding of the passenger vessel Lomaiviti Princess II in the Maloi Passage on Ovalau’s west coast. The incident occurred while the vessel, which was carrying over 40 passengers and crew members along with five vehicles, was en route from Natovi Jetty to Levuka.
MSAF’s chief executive officer, Joweli Cawaki, was alerted about the situation shortly after it happened at around 9:20 AM yesterday. He confirmed that another vessel, Saint Mary, was present to assist in towing the stranded vessel and in transporting passengers safely to their destination.
According to Captain Aca James Small, the manager at Goundar Shipping Services, the Lomaiviti Princess II was adhering to its usual route when it unexpectedly struck a reef. He expressed concern over potential negligence on the part of the crew, as this route is normally well-known to them.
Luckily, there were no reported injuries among the passengers. Captain Small mentioned that salvage operations would be delayed until high tide. As a precaution, Goundar Shipping Limited has suspended all scheduled travel to Levuka until further updates are available.