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Thirty passengers were evacuated from a popular cruise ship after it ran aground on a reef in Fiji Saturday (April 4).
The Fijian-based tourism company Blue Lagoon Cruises announced that its MV Fiji Princess ship ran aground near Monuriki Island, where the 2000 film Cast Away starring Tom Hanks was filmed, in a statement obtained by ABC News on Monday (April 6).
“Whilst the investigation is in its early stages, conditions upon the ship anchoring in the area were calm, and it appears a severe squall caused the ship’s anchor to drag towards a nearby reef whereby the ship became grounded,” the statement reads.
A ferry was brought alongside the 182-foot ship on Sunday (April 5) as 30 passengers evacuated safely as no injuries were reported. The passengers were then transported to Denarau Island.
Blue Lagoon Cruises confirmed that pumpable fuels and other oils stored onboard the ship were removed by Monday as they posed a threat to the environment. A salvage specialist from Australia has been present at the scene of the evacuation since Sunday and has overseen rescue efforts, according to Blue Lagoon Cruises' statement.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, which serves as an industry regulator, didn't provide a public comment when requested by ABC News on Monday.