The Vanuatu Government has transferred responsibility for the Vanuatu Maritime Safety Authority (VMSA) to the Prime Minister’s Office as search and rescue operations continue following the tragic sinking of the MV Matui.
Prime Minister Jotham Napat issued an Instrument of Withdrawal and Assignment of Function under the Government Act [Cap 243], transferring responsibility for the VMSA from the Ministry of Fisheries, Ocean and Maritime Affairs to the Ministry of the Prime Minister.
The instrument, issued on 13 September, states that responsibility for the VMSA is withdrawn from the Ministry of Fisheries, Ocean and Maritime Affairs and assigned directly to the Ministry of the Prime Minister.
The move comes as questions are being raised over maritime safety enforcement and the circumstances surrounding the MV Matui tragedy.
More than 40 crew and passengers were reportedly on board the vessel.
According to the latest government update, 15 people have been accounted for alive and one deceased person has been recovered, while more than 30 people remain missing at sea.
Search and rescue operations are continuing, with efforts now shifting from open waters towards the south-east coast.
Luganville MP Matai Seremiah said the search in open waters was being eased as authorities considered the possibility that currents may have carried survivors towards the coast.
The Government expressed its condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones and called for continued efforts to locate those missing.
It said reports of strong winds and marine warnings, as well as possible overloading of the vessel, would form part of the investigation into the incident.
However, the Government said a full investigation would be conducted to establish the facts and determine what led to the tragedy.
“The safety of life at sea must come first,” the Government said.
It also reminded vessel owners of their responsibility to ensure their vessels are seaworthy, carry required safety equipment and have adequate communication systems.
The Government warned that failure to heed marine warnings could put lives at risk.
It thanked those involved in the ongoing rescue and coastal search, including HELPR 1, Dr Mark Turnbull, MP Matai Seremiah, local communities, volunteers and seafarers.
The transfer of VMSA responsibility to the Prime Minister’s Office takes effect immediately under the instrument.
The government has indicated that the move comes at a critical time for Vanuatu’s maritime sector, amid renewed scrutiny of maritime safety requirements and the response to serious incidents at sea.
Meanwhile, search and rescue operations for those still missing from the MV Matui continue.
