One dead, 30 missing after ferry sinks off Vanuatu

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

One person died and 30 are missing after a ferry sank off the coast of Vanuatu, the South Pacific nation's government said on Sunday (September 13, 2026).

The vessel, MV Matui, had set sail on Friday (September 11) with more than 40 passengers and crew from the island of Santo to Ambae island in very rough seas, but did not arrive.

"Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones. Search and rescue operations are continuing," read a statement from Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat's office on Sunday (September 13).

Fifteen of those onboard have been "accounted for alive" and one dead body has been recovered, the statement said.

"Over 30 people remain missing at sea," it said. An investigation into potential negligence has been launched.

"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 statement added.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia, said it is assisting with the search, and a French Armed Forces aircraft was deployed on Sunday (September 13) morning.

The member of parliament for Luganville, Matai Seremaiah, who is assisting in the search, said efforts would concentrate on the southeast coast where currents may have carried survivors.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.