A search operation continued on Monday in waters off the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu for more than 30 people missing following a fatal ferry sinking. The vessel, MV Matui, was traveling between the islands of Ambae and Santo with 47 people on board when it went down on Friday.
Authorities confirmed that 15 survivors were pulled from the water by search teams over the weekend. According to a statement issued Sunday by the prime minister’s office, one body has also been recovered. Current rescue efforts have shifted focus from open waters to the coastline, where officials believe currents may have transported additional survivors.
The government statement attributed the tragedy to the failure to heed marine warnings, noting that the country’s meteorological service had issued alerts for strong winds and high seas on the day the ship departed. Officials also suggested the incident may have been caused by negligence, specifically citing the potential overloading of the vessel.
Vanuatu is an archipelago comprising 83 islands located in the South Pacific Ocean, approximately 1,750 kilometers (1,090 miles) east of northern Australia.
