Sinking of the MV Matui
On September 11, 2026, the Vanuatuan ferry MV Matui sank in the waters between Santo and Ambae.[1] The vessel was traveling from Santo to Ambae, but did not arrive and was declared missing. The disaster resulted in at least one death, with 15 survivors accounted for and 30 remaining missing.[2][3]
Search efforts
[edit]The search did not begin until some 30 hours after the sinking, something blamed on misinformation and confusion about the ship's fate; it was not until one man managed to swim to Santo and get help from a local diver that it was finally understood the ship had capsized, something that led to much criticism.[4] Ships assembled in an effort to find survivors, rescuing many of them. An aerial search is also underway, with flying doctor Mark Turnbull throwing life jackets and locating survivors. Search efforts eventually turned away from open waters to coastal areas, where survivors may have been pushed by currents.[5] Search efforts were hampered by strong weather, seeing swells up to 3 meters in height.[4]
Reactions
[edit]Prime Minister of Vanuatu Jotham Napat's office stated "their hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones".[6]
References
[edit]- ↑ Aotearoa, RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o (2026-09-13). "One dead, 30 missing after ferry sinks off Vanuatu". RNZ. Retrieved 2026-09-13.
- ↑ "One dead and more than 30 missing after ferry sinks off Vanuatu coast in rough seas". The Guardian. 2026-09-13. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-09-13.
- ↑ "One dead, over 30 missing after ferry sinks in Vanuatu". 1News. Retrieved 2026-09-13.
- 1 2 Aotearoa, RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o (2026-09-13). "'We could have saved more': Vanuatu MP criticises 30-hour search delay after ferry sinking". RNZ. Retrieved 2026-09-13.
- ↑ Welwel, Vanuatu reporter Lillyrose; Wasuka, Evan; Evans, Kyle (2026-09-12). "At least 30 missing and one dead after inter-island ferry sinks off Vanuatu coast". ABC News. Retrieved 2026-09-13.
- ↑ "‼️Sympathy Message: MV Matui Tragedy‼️". Ministry of the Prime Minister - Vanuatu, Facebook.
