A Pacific patrol boat has run aground in Fiji during its first voyage, just months after being handed over by the Australian government.
Fiji’s Navy confirmed that the RFNS Puamau struck a reef while patrolling the remote Lau group of islands, midway through its inaugural two-week mission.
The high-tech vessel was commissioned less than a month ago, after being gifted to Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at a ceremony in Perth in March.
In a statement, Fiji’s Navy emphasised that their primary concern is “the safety and welfare of all crew onboard and safely recovering the vessel.”
“A crisis management team has been assembled to oversee the situation, with emergency support crews en route and secondary support arrangements underway in collaboration with our partners.”
The crew of RFNS Puamau returned to Suva after being collected by another vessel, RFNS Savenaca.
Fiji’s Navy has deployed another patrol boat to aid the stricken vessel, while efforts are underway to pump water out of the engine room to control flooding.
Australia is assisting with the recovery operation and has sent specialised recovery equipment that would be used to extract the boat from the reef, with a second vessel set to transport the gear to the site.
An Australian defence spokesperson told media:
“Australia remains committed to being the security partner of choice for Pacific countries. Our view, shared by Pacific leaders, is that security in the region is best provided by the Pacific family.”
Nineteen Guardian-class patrol boats have been delivered to Pacific nations under the Pacific Maritime Security Program.
Last year, Australia handed over a new Guardian-class patrol boat to Samoa after the $30 million Nafanua II ran aground in October 2021, rendering it beyond repair. Other incidents include Tuvalu’s HMTSS Te Mataili and Vanuatu’s RVS Takuare, which were both badly damaged by twin cyclones in March last year.
Australia has since announced the fast-tracking of a replacement boat for Tuvalu, and the RVS Takuare is currently being repaired in Cairns.
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