The vessel MV Spirit of Altruism sank in shallow water off Draunibota Bay in Lami yesterday after efforts to stabilise and repair damage failed, the vessel’s owner has confirmed. The owner said most fuel and oil had been removed from the boat before it went down and that it now rests in about three metres of water.
According to a press statement issued by Lami resident Culden Kamea on behalf of the owner, the vessel was damaged during strong winds last Sunday when it was reportedly pushed onto a nearby reef and sustained a “small hull breach.” The owner was not notified of the incident until late Wednesday afternoon, when they were told the vessel had developed a “slight list.” Workers were dispatched on Thursday morning to assess and carry out repairs; they found personnel from Fiji Ships already aboard working to plug the leak and stabilise the craft. Those efforts were ultimately unsuccessful and the vessel sank.
The owner has renewed calls for urgent salvage under a US$1 million derelict vessel removal programme led by Blue Prosperity Fiji that had previously listed the Spirit of Altruism for removal. Kamea said the programme had cleared 13 of 20 targeted vessels in Suva Harbour and nearby waters, leaving several still posing environmental and navigation risks. With the Spirit of Altruism now sunk, the owner warned that delays in recovery could make salvage more difficult and increase the risk to the marine environment and local navigation.
Video circulating on social media showing a fuel sheen around the wreck drew immediate concern, but the owner maintains the images reflect only small residual pockets of fuel rather than an active spill. The statement emphasised that most fuel and oil had been removed before the vessel sank, although it did not provide precise quantities. The wreck’s shallow depth and proximity to shore mean authorities and salvage crews will need to work quickly to prevent any remaining contaminants from spreading.
Fiji Ships personnel were involved in the immediate response onboard the vessel prior to it sinking. The owner’s statement did not say whether there were any injuries and gave no timetable for when salvage operations might begin. It also did not indicate whether Blue Prosperity Fiji or government agencies had committed additional resources following the sinking.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about derelict and damaged vessels in the harbour area. The owner’s appeal for accelerated salvage comes amid recent high-profile local responses to marine pollution incidents, underscoring the potential environmental and safety consequences when ageing or damaged vessels remain in harbour waters. With seven of the original 20 vessels on the programme still to be removed, the sinking of the Spirit of Altruism adds urgency to calls for the remaining derelicts to be cleared.