P&O Australia rescues stranded Aussie students in Vanuatu

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The students on the wharf at Port Vila before joining Pacific Adventure for their voyage back to Sydney
A group of young Australian Rotary volunteers stranded in Vanuatu following the collapse of Air Vanuatu have been rescued by P&O Cruises Australia.

The students, many of them teenagers from Albury, New South Wales, were volunteering for a youth project run by the Hive Rotary Club Australia when the airline abruptly cancelled all flights, leaving them with no way to get off the island.

Free cruise home

P&O Cruises Australia came to their rescue by offering transit on Pacific Adventure at no cost.

They boarded in Port Vila Friday and return to Sydney in the ship on May 23.

Jumping for joy

‘We were jumping for joy when P&O made their offer, after such a frustrating and stressful few days wondering how we were going to get home,’ Hive Rotary President Kellie Kadaoui said.

‘This will be an exciting and wonderful way to finish our volunteering trip,’ Kadaoui said.

‘P&O Cruises Australia is delighted to help this inspiring group of students get home,’ SVP Peter Little said.

‘Vanuatu is a favourite destination for our cruise guests and we were inspired by the students who volunteered their time to help local communities,’ Little said.