Chaos erupted aboard the Australian expedition cruise ship Coral Adventurer when it ran aground on a coral reef off the coast of Papua New Guinea on December 27, leaving 123 people — 80 passengers and 43 crew — stranded in a terrifying ordeal that has reignited serious safety concerns.

The incident occurred early Saturday morning, approximately 30km from Lae, PNG’s second-largest city, during the ship’s first voyage since a tragic event in October. Eyewitness accounts describe moments of panic as the vessel struck the reef, with passengers reportedly “screaming and panicking” amid confusion and fear of the worst.

Coral Expeditions, the Cairns-based operator, confirmed all onboard were safe, with no injuries reported. Initial inspections found no hull damage, and efforts to refloat the ship using high tide were underway, assisted by local authorities. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) monitored the situation but received no distress call.

This crisis comes just two months after the same vessel was embroiled in controversy following the death of 80-year-old passenger Suzanne Rees. The New South Wales grandmother was left behind on remote Lizard Island during a shore excursion in October, her body discovered the next day. The incident triggered multiple investigations by AMSA, Queensland Police, and WorkSafe, probing safety protocols and passenger accounting procedures.

Critics are now questioning whether warning signs from the Rees tragedy were ignored, with calls for renewed scrutiny of Coral Expeditions’ operations. The grounding has sparked furious debate about expedition cruising risks in remote areas.

Passengers, on a 12-night “Frontier Lands of Papua New Guinea” itinerary departing Cairns on December 18, faced uncertainty but remained calm overall. The voyage was set to end December 30.

As refloating continues, this double blow underscores vulnerabilities in small-ship adventure travel — leaving families shocked and the industry facing tough questions about passenger welfare.