THIS is the sinister story behind a deserted cruiseliner that was allegedly intentionally run aground by its desperate captain.
Disaster struck when the MS World Discoverer hit an uncharted reef in the Solomon Islands and unwittingly established itself as a tourist attraction.
It’s now a half-sunken ocean liner visibly tipped to one side where it’s left to rot in the very same Pacific spot where it was grounded in April 2000.
The German-made vessel has been abandoned for 24 years was originally built by Schichau Unterweser in 1974 and was able to navigate the Northwest Passage.
It was first sold to the Danish company BEWA Cruises and then two years later to Adventure Cruises Inc.
In 1990 the ship was registered in Liberia and six years later underwent a complete refurbishment.
The globetrotting cruise ship featured an observation lounge, a library, a sun deck with a swimming pool and a small fitness centre.
Measuring 287ft (87m) in length, it was able to carry nearly 140 passengers.
But the fateful spring journey ended its seafaring career for good.
The ship began to list and captain Oliver Kruess had no choice but to ground her in the beautiful Sandfly passage of the Nggela Islands.
British passenger David Wright described the moment the ship was brought into Roderick Bay.
“It was just rammed into the beach, breaking trees in the forest, which stretches down to the shore,” he told The Herald.
“It was quite spectacular. And when we reached the beach, we could see a tree hanging from the prow of the ship.”
Everyone on board was safely evacuated, but the ship has since been been left to rust and slowly crumble into the ocean.
Several salvage companies have made attempts to retrieve the ship, but to no avail.
The ship has become a popular tourist attraction for both locals and those who visit the Solomon Islands.
