Investigation outcome will determine action to be taken against owners of Tuvaluan Shipping Vessel

Investigations findings of the Tuvaluan fishing vessel, Tuipuga that caught fire at the Mua i Walu 1 side at the Suva wharf, will determine the measures that will be taken against the owners of the vessel.

This was highlighted by the Maritime Authority of Fiji Acting CEO, Captain Philip Hill who says that investigations to ascertain the cause of the fire will begin tomorrow.

Captain Hill says they will be working with Fiji Ports and National Fire Authority on the investigations.

The ship caught fire at around 6 to 6.30pm on Friday night at the Mua i Walu 1 side at the Suva wharf.

Captain Hill says that the National Fire Authority could not contain the fire and they had to tug the vessel away from the wharf.

He says that the procedure that is followed when a ship is on fire and cannot be contained is that the ship is scuttled to over 500 metres outside the Suva Harbour.