A massive rescue operation is underway in the Pacific after the inter-island ferry MV Matui sank in rough waters north of the Vanuatu archipelago. At 6:38 a.m. Bulgarian time on September 13, 2026, the government of the island nation officially confirmed one dead and at least 30 people missing at sea.
The vessel set off on Friday (September 11) from Santo Island to Ambae Island with more than 40 passengers and crew on board, but never reached its final destination due to extremely severe weather conditions. Until now 15 people were found and rescued alive. According to information from the Reuters agency (https://www.reuters.com), rescue teams are gradually narrowing the perimeter in open waters and directing their efforts towards the southeastern coast, where strong ocean currents may have swept away any survivors. [1, 2, 3]
The office of Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat issued an official statement expressing condolences to the families of the victims and announcing the launch of a full investigation into the incident. “This loss appears to have been the result of strong winds and disregard for warnings of dangerous sea conditions, with possible serious negligence, including overloading of the vessel“, states the government's position, quoted by the British publication The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com). [1]
The search operation involved French military aircraft from New Caledonia, as well as numerous private boats belonging to local residents. According to New Zealand public radio RNZ (https://www.rnz.co.nz), local politicians have already criticized the rescue operation for delaying it by nearly 30 hours, which reduced the chances of quickly finding people in the sea in waves reaching 3 meters. The national maritime authorities and the ferry operator Tui Shipping Agency have not yet commented on the matter to international media.