Coral Adventurer runs aground in PNG on first voyage since guest death tragedy

• Coral Expeditions, the Aussie adventure cruise line facing an inquiry after a passenger death, has been involved in a second accident.
• Coral Adventurer, the same ship involved in a passenger death on its last voyage in October, has run aground in PNG.
• No passengers or crew were hurt in the latest incident, according to reports.

Coral Expeditions may face another inquiry after its expedition ship Coral Adventurer reportedly ran aground on a reef off the coast of Papua New Guinea.

The Australian-based company is already under investigation following the death of a passenger on an earlier voyage with the same ship. Coral Expeditions is owned by the NRMA, the New South Wales roadside assistance and so-called “help” company.

The incident happened on the morning of December 27, 2025, when the Australian-flagged ship struck a reef about 30 kilometres from Lae, according to reports aired by Channel 9 and other Australian media. Early assessments indicated no injuries and no immediate signs of damage, with all 80 passengers and 43 crew safe on board.

Just days ago, Cruise Passenger reported Coral Adventurer had resumed sailing from Cairns on a 12-night itinerary to Papua New Guinea, even as multiple investigations continue into the death of Suzanne Rees, an 80-year-old guest who died during a shore excursion on Lizard Island in October.

According to claims by her relatives, she was left behind on the island when the ship sailed after saying she felt unwell during a hike. Official investigations have yet to report on what happened.

Grounding off PNG

In the latest incident, the ship reportedly grounded while navigating Papua New Guinea’s coastline, on a voyage that departed Cairns on December 18 and was scheduled to finish on December 30.

Media reports said the vessel became stuck on the reef, prompting coordination between Papua New Guinea maritime authorities and Australia’s Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

Initial reports suggest passengers remained onboard and safe while plans were made to refloat the vessel. Authorities were expected to conduct further checks once the ship was freed.

While groundings are not unheard of in remote expedition cruising, where ships regularly visit shallow, lesser-charted waters, this one may lead investigators to raise questions about operational procedures. PNG reefs are environmentally sensitive areas.

Coral Expeditions

Coral Expeditions, the Cairns-based operator behind Coral Adventurer, has been under scrutiny since the October tragedy involving Suzanne Rees.

Coral Adventurer returned to operations after a “significant investigation” involving Queensland Police, WorkSafe Queensland, and AMSA, examining how Rees came to be on Lizard Island after the ships sailed and why her absence was reportedly not detected until later.

It is unclear if members of the crew during the latest incident were also on board when Suzanne Rees died.

Coral Expeditions said in a statement before the latest incident that it had cooperated with investigations and supported staff returning to duties.

Coral Expeditions is a major player in Australia’s adventure cruise sector. Coral Adventurer is a modern, purpose-built vessel launched in 2019 and designed to access destinations larger ships can’t reach, with a small-ship guest experience and expedition tenders.

What happens next?

Authorities have not detailed the cause of the grounding, but any investigation will likely consider local conditions and whether all required protocols were followed in a region known for, at times, challenging coastal navigation.

AMSA has been involved in the broader oversight of Coral Adventurer following the Lizard Island death. A report is expected soon.