Passengers on P&O Dawn injured on bus tour in Port Vila

Passengers onboard the Pacific Dawn have been injured on a bus tour in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

At least two people from Port Vila died from the head-on-collision between the tour bus and another with a group of locals.

P&O Australia has confirmed that three passengers who sustained serious injuries will be transported to Noumea in New Caledonia for further treatment and that air ambulances from Australia have been dispatched.

The other nine passengers are receiving treatment on the ship and will be taken to Brisbane and and New Caledonia for treatment.

According to the Vanuatu Daily Post, the tourists were returning from a tour to the Ekasup Cultural Village.

David Jones from Carnival Australia told Cruise Passenger, “We can confirm that there was a road accident in Port Vila this afternoon involving a tour bus run by a third-party local operator. Initial reports are that 13 guests from Pacific Dawn were among those injured. A doctor from Pacific Dawn attended the scene to provide medical care and to support local emergency services. Passengers were either treated in the ship’s medical centre or at a local hospital and medical centre.

“The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was alerted and we are receiving full consular support in Port Vila. P&O’s Care team in Australia has been activated and the families of passengers injured in the accident have already been contacted or are in the process of being contacted. Our current priority in Vila is to ensure our passengers are receiving all possible care. Further updates will be provided.”

A passenger who is onboard the Pacific Dawn said the ship is still docked in Port Vila after the passengers were taken to Port Vila hospital.

“Just an update on our cruise W627 on the Dawn, we are still in port Vila as their has been a bad accident with one of the tour buses 15 people injured, all were taken to port Vila hospital some have been brought back to the ships medical centre were the captain has just announced that we will not be sailing until it is sorted out also he has asked for any doctors and nurses onboard could they report to the medical centre he has sent two of his staff to the hospital also,” wrote a passenger on Facebook.