The Bondi lifeguards have provided life-saving training to local communities in Vanuatu as part of a Carnival Cruise Line program to support South Pacific destinations.

The team, known for starring on the TV show “Bondi Rescue”, spent a week in Vanuatu, visiting Mystery Island, the nearby community of Aneityum, and Port Vila, to teach more than 100 Ni-Vanuatu on how to spot a rip, safely rescue someone in distress and administer CPR and First aid.

Bondi lifeguard Bruce “Hoppo” Hopkins, founder of the Float to Survive program, said: “This program teaches people how to stay calm in a potentially life-threatening situation in the water.”

“They’re taught simple yet vital skills that can save lives. It was fantastic to see how much the participants learned and improved their skills in just a few days,” added Hopkins.

Vanuatu has the fourth-highest drowning rate in the world, according to the World Health Organisation, and despite being a nation made up of 83 islands, most children are not taught to swim.

Carnival said in a press release that the programs are made possible through its Pacific Partnerships, a program that is one way the company and guests give back to the destinations they visit.

Carnival added that it also launched a Learn to Swim program for Port Vila children this year, with more than 200 young students taught valuable skills.

“Our guests love Vanuatu, and the warm welcome they receive, so we hope they’ll be delighted to see how this project is improving the wellbeing of the local community,” said Carnival’s Vice President of External Affairs Sandy Olsen.

In 2026, Carnival Cruise Line ships will make 29 calls to Port Vila and 45 calls to Mystery Island, taking nearly 150,000 guests to the idyllic South Pacific paradise.