A ferry has sunk off the coast of Vanuatu, leaving one person dead and more than 30 others missing, according to The Guardian. The vessel went down in rough sea conditions, the outlet reported.
The prime minister's office confirmed the casualty figures, Al Jazeera reported. The ABC, Australia's public broadcaster, also put the number of missing at no fewer than 30.
The sinking involved an inter-island ferry, the ABC reported. Such vessels link Vanuatu's scattered islands and are a routine part of travel and freight movement across the archipelago.
Few further details were available in the immediate aftermath. The reports did not specify the ferry's route, the total number of people on board, or how many had been rescued. The Guardian described the seas at the time as rough.
The accounts from The Guardian, the ABC and Al Jazeera agree on the central figures: one confirmed death and a missing count above 30. The Independent carried the same tally.
Search and rescue efforts were not detailed in the initial reporting. Vanuatu is a Pacific island nation where inter-island ferries are a primary means of transport, which makes incidents at sea a recurring concern for authorities.
What to watch next: whether rescue teams recover more survivors and whether officials release a full passenger manifest.
