The 86m long ro-ro cargo ship Suilven capsized off the port of Suva, Fiji, on the afternoon of 24th November after she began listing to starboard on approach to Suva harbour at the end of a routine freight only voyage from Savusavu and Taveuni in Fiji’s Northern Division. 

The crew of 31 were all rescued but the ship sank within an hour by the stern. The 3,638gt/1974 built ship began life with CalMac in August 1974 and, after 21 years operating the Ullapool to Stornoway service, was sold to Strait Shipping in New Zealand. She was then sold to Bligh Water Shipping of Fiji in 2004 and passed to Venu Shipping Limited in 2015 and was due a refit.

The ageing ferry was built by Moss Rosenberg of Norway and named after the Suilven Mountain in Sutherland, a name that she carried for her entire career.

Photo courtesy Phototransport.com