Lomaiviti Princess II
On the night of June 1, the 60 meter long ro-ro passenger ferry Lomaiviti Princess 2 (IMO: 7824924) capsized and partially sank in Walu Bay at Suva Harbour, Fiji. A tugboat had towed the unmanned Lomaiviti Princess 2 away from the jetty when it had lost stability and developed a sharp a starboard list. As the list increased, the passenger ferry took on water until it capsized and partially sank in 5 meters of water. There were no injuries.
Authorities placed booms around the vessel, but diesel fuel pollution was not totally contained. A visible sheen of diesel fuel can be seen in Suva harbour. Authorities have issued a coastal warning and placed yellow buoys to indicate the boundary of the oil pollution. Reports state the Lomaiviti Princess 2 had been moored at the jetty since 2019 and had been used as a dumping ground. No reports if Fiji authorities will conduct an investigation into the incident, how the pollution will be mitigated and when the ferry will be salvaged or removed.