More than 70 stranded as Solomon Islands ferry drifts for days

More than 70 passengers have been stranded aboard a drifting ferry in Solomon Islands waters since Friday, as an international operation scrambles to get supplies to the vessel.

The ferry was sailing between the remote islands of Anuta and Vanikoro in Temotu Province when its engine failed on Friday, leaving it adrift at sea.

A Panama-registered bulk carrier reached MV Awka on Sunday morning and began transferring water and food, passenger John Tua said.

Mr Tua, a nurse with the provincial government, said the engine was overheating when it broke down about 100 nautical miles from its destination.

While the seas have been mostly calm, Mr Tua said the ship had also experienced rough swells.

A distress call was issued on Friday, with the Solomon Islands enlisting help from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and New Caledonian government.

An AMSA spokesperson said its Cairns-based rescue jet made several drops of critical items including food, water, medical supplies and communications equipment.

A French aircraft from New Caledonia was first on the scene on Saturday, dropping life rafts and desalination equipment.

"The urgent need was water. We've run out of water onboard … the ship's water supply was used to cool the engine down when it was heating up," Mr Tua said.

"We have lots of brown coconuts on board to drink, but our water is finished."

On Sunday morning, the Panama-registered bulk carrier Sunnine 3 reached the vessel early and began transferring water and food, which was lifestreamed online by Mr Tua.

Passengers have stayed in touch with families using the ship's Starlink internet, while Mr Tua has been the main source of news for worried relatives.

Temotu Premier Stanley Tehiahua said a police patrol boat was on its way from Honiara.

"To all relatives, families and friends anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones, we recognise the emotional distress and uncertainty you are experiencing," he said in a statement.

The ABC has requested comment from the Solomon Islands Maritime Safety Administration and the country's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

The incident comes three weeks after the inter-island ferry MV Matui sank in rough seas in neighbouring Vanuatu with more than 50 people onboard. More than 30 people from the MV Matui are still missing.

There have been calls for Australia and New Zealand to invest more in maritime safety, including from Peter Nuttall, a sustainable researcher at the University of the South Pacific, who told the ABC after the Matui sinking that Australia could easily invest in better vessels for the Pacific.

"We could have built 40 to 60 safe, brand new, low-carbon ferries for the same budget as we've spent on 20-something patrol boats, several which have already been scrapped," Dr Nuttall said.