British cruise ship destroys 13,500m² of an Indonesian coral reef
Indonesia — A UK-owned cruise ship has smashed into, and damaged, pristine coral reefs in a remote corner of Indonesia known as one of the world’s most biodiverse marine habitats, researchers and officials said Tuesday. Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia has long been a top attraction for intrepid travellers and avid divers, home to palm-fringed islands surrounded by an underwater kaleidoscope of coral and fish. But the 4,200-tonne Caledonian Sky slammed into the reefs at low tide around Kri, one of hundreds of small islands in Raja Ampat, earlier in March, after taking the tourists aboard on a bird-watching expedition. The boat, which was carrying 102 passengers and 79 crew, became grounded on the reefs and had to be refloated by a tug boat before continuing on its journey. The accident has damaged an estimated 13,500m² of coral reef, which could cost up to $16.2m to restore, according to Ricardo Tapilatu, a marine researcher from the University of Papua who headed a team assessing th...
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