An expedition cruise aboard Coral Adventurer has been disrupted after the ship ran aground off the east coast of Papua New Guinea, marking the latest incident in a difficult period for the vessel.
The grounding occurred early on Saturday morning, 27th December 2025, near Dreghafen Point, between Nussing Island and Kumbam Island. The location is approximately 60 miles from Lae, Papua New Guinea’s second-largest city.
Coral Adventurer had departed Cairns, Australia on Thursday, 18th December for a 12-night cruise along the Papua New Guinea coastline. Local authorities were alerted shortly before 6 am after the 5,536-gross-ton ship became stuck, with strong local currents believed to have contributed to the incident.
There are 80 passengers and 44 crew members onboard. The cruise line has confirmed that no injuries have been reported.
“All passengers and crew are safe,” a spokesperson for Coral Expeditions said.
Refloating Efforts and Inspections Underway
Plans are now in place to refloat the ship, with efforts being carefully coordinated around tidal conditions to provide natural assistance. Once the vessel is freed, a full inspection of the hull will be carried out.
“An initial inspection indicates no damage to the vessel,” Coral Expeditions said. “The incident has been reported to authorities and will undergo further official inspections to the hull and marine environment as a standard procedure.”
As part of those checks, authorities will assess the surrounding marine environment for any potential fuel leaks or damage to nearby coral reefs.
At this stage, there is no confirmed timeline for when Coral Adventurer may resume her itinerary.
The ship was scheduled to return to Cairns for disembarkation on Tuesday, 30th December. If refloating efforts are delayed or repairs are required, alternative arrangements may need to be made for guests, and future sailings could also be affected.
Incident Comes After Recent Passenger Tragedy
The grounding follows a deeply troubling incident earlier in the ship’s season. In late October, an 80-year-old passenger, Suzanne Rees, died after being left behind during a shore excursion on Lizard Island in Queensland.
Rees had been travelling solo and joined a guided hike during the first port visit of what was intended to be a 60-night circumnavigation of Australia. She reportedly separated from the group to rest and did not return to the ship before it departed.
Once her absence was discovered, Coral Adventurer returned to Lizard Island and search operations were launched. Rees was later found deceased some distance from the hiking trail.
In the aftermath, the remainder of the voyage was cancelled and guests were flown home on chartered flights. At the time, the cruise line said it could no longer deliver the experience guests had expected.
“It was increasingly apparent, given the circumstances of the last week, that we could not deliver on this promise,” said Coral Expeditions CEO Mark Fifield when confirming the cancellation.
The 18th December departure marked Coral Adventurer’s first sailing since that earlier voyage was cut short.
Why Groundings Can Happen on Expedition Cruises
While cruise ship groundings are rare, they are more likely to occur on expedition vessels that operate close to shore and in less-charted waters.
Submerged reefs, shifting sandbanks and changing currents can all pose navigational challenges, particularly in remote regions. Smaller ships may also be more vulnerable to strong currents or weather conditions than larger cruise vessels.
A similar incident occurred in September 2023, when the expedition ship Ocean Explorer ran aground in a remote fjord in eastern Greenland. That vessel remained stuck for three days before being freed during high tide.
As authorities continue to assess the situation in Papua New Guinea, attention remains focused on safely refloating Coral Adventurer and determining whether the ship can return to service without further disruption.
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