At least one dead and dozens missing after ferry MV Matui sinks off Vanuatu

Sinking between Santo and Ambae

The inter-island ferry MV Matui sank on Friday while travelling between the northern islands of Santo and Ambae in Vanuatu. More than 40 passengers and crew members were on board the vessel when it encountered severe weather and rough seas. The vessel, operated by Tui Shipping Agency, failed to reach its destination on Ambae after departing from the island of Santo. By Sunday morning, Prime Minister Jotham Napat's office confirmed that at least one person had died, 15 individuals had been accounted for alive, and more than 30 people remained missing at sea. The sinking prompted maritime search and rescue operations across the waters of the Pacific nation, which is situated approximately 1,750 kilometres east of Australia.

Search and international assistance

Search operations initially covered open waters between Santo and Ambae before emergency teams shifted their primary focus toward the south-east coast. Authorities adjusted the operation based on maritime assessments that ocean currents were likely to carry survivors in that direction. International assistance joined the search on Sunday morning when the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in New Caledonia deployed an aircraft from the French Armed Forces. The coordination centre reported that 12 people were located on Sunday morning during search flights. Matai Seremaiah, the member of parliament for Luganville who assisted in the search, stated that rescue efforts would concentrate on coastal areas where currents may have deposited survivors.

Official response and negligence inquiry

Prime Minister Jotham Napat announced that the government launched an inquiry to establish the circumstances surrounding the sinking and determine whether safety protocols were violated. Official statements indicated that the vessel departed despite adverse weather conditions and active maritime warnings.

“This loss appears to be the result of strong winds and marine warnings not being heeded, and possibly of negligence including overloading of the vessel.”

The prime minister's office issued a public message of support to the families affected by the maritime disaster.

“To the survivors, we pray for your strength and recovery. To the families of those missing and those we have lost, please know that the nation stands with you in this time of grief.”

Official agencies, including the Vanuatu Police and the Vanuatu Maritime Safety Authority, did not immediately issue public statements following the announcement.

Status of passengers and recovery efforts

Search teams continued operating on Sunday as emergency services worked to locate the more than 30 individuals still unaccounted for. Rescue workers recovered the body of one deceased victim, while medical support was directed toward the 15 survivors found alive. Relatives of the missing gathered in coastal communities across northern Vanuatu as local boats aided official search vessels. The government affirmed that open-water patrols would ease as personnel focused resources on the south-east coastline. Maritime investigators are reviewing cargo loads, passenger manifests, and weather advisories to assess potential operational negligence before the ship sailed.