Cruise Ship Fiji Princess Grounded on 'Cast Away' Island, Passengers Evacuated
The Fiji Princess, a cruise ship operating around the islands of Fiji, was grounded on April 4 on the same island used in the 2000 movie 'Cast Away.' The ship, which can accommodate up to 64 passengers and 31 crew members, was hit by a severe squall while at anchor, causing it to drag anchor and hit a reef. This resulted in significant damage to the port side of the ship, leading to water ingress near the steering equipment. All 30 passengers and 17 crew members were safely evacuated to Port Denarau without any reported injuries. The primary concern now is the 20,000 liters of diesel fuel aboard the vessel, although there are no signs of a fuel leak. Containment equipment has been prepositioned as a precaution. A salvage team from Australia has been brought in to assess the damage and plan the removal of the vessel, but rough seas have delayed their efforts. 
