Engine failure leaves over 70 passengers stranded on Solomon Islands ferry
More than 70 people aboard MV Awka were left adrift after its engine overheated about 100 nautical miles from Anuta, prompting an international aid effort.
A ferry operating between the remote islands of Anuta and Vanikoro in Temotu Province experienced an engine overheating failure on Friday, leaving the vessel MV Awka adrift roughly 100 nautical miles from its destination with over 70 passengers aboard. The crew reported calm among passengers while water supplies ran out, prompting a distress call that activated assistance from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the New Caledonian government, which airdropped food, water, medical kits and desalination gear.
On Sunday, the Panama-registered bulk carrier Sunnine 3 reached the ferry and began handing over water and food, a process livestreamed by passenger John Tua. The stranded travelers have kept in touch with relatives via the ship’s Starlink internet, and Temotu Premier Stanley Tehiahua announced a police patrol boat is en route from Honiara. The incident follows a recent ferry sinking in nearby Vanuatu, reviving calls for greater Pacific maritime safety investment.
Why it matters
It highlights the vulnerability of remote Pacific transport links and the need for stronger maritime safety resources.
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