The crew of the De Chan number 44 vessel found themselves stranded after the ship ran aground on Mabulica reef close to Gau island yesterday. Lieutenant Commander Sairusi Colati, the director of the Fiji Maritime Surveillance and Rescue Coordination Centre, confirmed that all crew members are safe, and efforts are being made to relocate them from the location.
“It is a long-line vessel,” Commander Colati noted. He explained that rescue operations were not conducted over the weekend, but a separate group of fishermen had also run aground at Mabulica reef near the village of Vione.
The incident was reported early yesterday morning, suggesting it occurred the previous night. While the exact number of individuals aboard the De Chan has not yet been confirmed, Commander Colati assured that no injuries were reported and that everyone remains on the vessel.
Discussions concerning the vessel’s agents are also taking place. “Everyone is safe on board, but we are coordinating with another vessel to facilitate the crew’s transfer. Salvage operations are currently in progress, and we are also working with the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji regarding a potential oil spill near the vessel,” he added.
Joeli Cawaki, CEO of MSAF, stated that he was not informed about the incident or whether MSAF was conducting inspections related to any oil spills in the vicinity of the vessel.