Ten passengers and eight crew members from a luxury cruise have been rescued from a remote uninhabited island off the northern coast of Australia.
Earlier, about 60 other passengers made it to safety after they were forced to abandon zodiac boats grounded off Adele Island about 100 kilometres north of the West Australian mainland.
The passengers and guides from Silversea’s Silver Cloud ship were taking part in an expedition tour near the island on Thursday afternoon when a fast-moving tide caught the group by surprise.
They were stranded in knee-deep water about 7km from the ship.
About 70 passengers and 10 guides were forced to wade 500 metres through a coral reef to deeper water where they were met by a flotilla of zodiac vessels sent from the ship to rescue them.
By sunset, most had been rescued and returned to the Silver Cloud where some were treated for minor cuts and abrasions.
The remaining passengers and crew were stranded in darkness for more than four hours while their zodiac vessels were unable to cross an exposed reef until the tide turned about 10pm (AWST).
A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson confirmed the incident, saying a tide change had affected the return of multiple vessels to the ship.
"Some guests experienced injuries, and we immediately provided medical care," the spokesperson told AAP.
"Everyone is OK and back on board. The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority.”
The Silver Cloud has set sail for Talbot Bay to continue its 12-day cruise of the Kimberley region.
