On Monday, the owner of a cruise ship announced that thirty passengers were safely evacuated after the vessel ran aground on a reef in Fiji. The MV Fiji Princess, which is operated by Blue Lagoon Cruises, ran aground on Saturday in proximity to Monuriki Island, famously known as the filming location for the 2000 film “Cast Away,” starring Tom Hanks, according to a statement from the Fiji-based tourism company.

The statement indicated that while investigations are still ongoing, the weather conditions at the time the ship anchored were calm. It appears that a sudden and severe squall caused the anchor to drag, leading the ship to become stranded on the reef.

At first light on Sunday, a ferry was dispatched to the 55.52-meter (182-foot) vessel, allowing the thirty passengers to disembark along with their luggage and personal belongings. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The passengers were then transported to Denarau Island.

Blue Lagoon Cruises reported that by Monday, all pumpable fuel and other oils held on board had been successfully removed, reducing potential environmental hazards. A salvage expert from Australia has been present since Sunday to oversee the recovery operations, the statement added. The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, which serves as the regulatory body for the industry, did not provide a comment when contacted on Monday.

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