Cruise Ship Runs Aground at Site of Iconic Tom Hanks Film
A luxury cruise ship ran aground this past weekend, colliding with a reef just off Monuriki Island — an uninhabited island off the coast of Fiji best known for being the film site of Tom Hanks' iconic 2000 movie, "Castaway."
The MV Fiji Princess, operated by Blue Lagoon Cruises, was carrying 30 passengers and 31 crew members. All 30 passengers and 17 of the ship's 31 crew members were taken off the boat on the same day.
No injuries were reported.
“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,” Blue Lagoon Cruises said in a statement, via the Associated Press.
The ship sustained "serious damage" to its left rear side, according to a statement from the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji.
"Initial checks confirmed that the vessel has suffered serious damage to its rear left side, including the area where the steering equipment is located. Part of the vessel underneath has also been damaged," an MSAF spokesperson said.
"The vessel also experienced engine failure and was reported to be taking in water following the grounding. Due to rough seas and strong waves, officers were unable to safely inspect the vessel underwater at the time," the statement continued.
A cruise ship got stranded near the island from Tom Hanks' castaway pic.twitter.com/tz1ZhVa3YZ
— ScreenTime (@screentime) April 7, 2026
The ship was carrying 5,300 gallons of diesel fuel. Prioritizing protection of the environment, authorities brought oil spill equipment to the area. The MSAF spokesperson said there were no signs of damage to the fuel tanks.
"MSAF's main concern at this time is the safety of all personnel, the protection of Fiji's marine environment, and ensuring that response efforts continue safely," the spokesperson added. "MSAF will continue to work closely with the vessel operator and all response teams, and will provide further updates as necessary."