245 passengers rescued after MV Lomaiviti Princess 7 runs aground

245 passengers from the Lomaiviti Princess 7 were safely transferred to the MV Lady Daya this morning after the vessel ran aground on a reef south of Moala yesterday evening.

While responding to questions by fijivillage News, the Rescue Coordination Centre says an alert was received yesterday evening where the passenger ferry MV Lomaiviti Princess 7, carrying 245 passengers and 33 crew members, had run aground.

RCC Fiji confirmed that their search and rescue mechanisms were activated promptly, with their immediate priorities being the safety of everyone onboard and assessing any potential environmental risks.

They say efforts to tow the vessel off the reef began shortly after the alert and while the first towing attempt was unsuccessful, a second attempt will be made during high tide this afternoon.

They also confirmed that the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji has been informed of the situation and will conduct an investigation into the incident to determine how the vessel came to run aground.

RCC Fiji adds that in all search and rescue operations, their primary focus remains on safeguarding lives and mitigating environmental threats.