Cruise halted in Channel by blaze
BBC News
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A fire on board a cruise ship carrying 462 passengers in the English Channel has sparked a major alert.
The fire, which is now out, was tackled by members of the ship's 246 crew before firefighters arrived on four lifeboats and in a rescue helicopter.
The Calypso, sailing from Tilbury, Essex, to St Peter Port in Guernsey was about 15 miles off Beachy Head.
Passengers and crew boarded the ship's lifeboats, but an evacuation was not carried out. There were no casualties.
A coastguard spokeswoman said the Mayday call had been made at about 0400 BST from the ship.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service firefighters tackled the blaze, and a service spokeswoman later said 18 firefighters had stayed on board to cool the blaze area.
"Indications are that the fire is out, but crews have to enter the engine room to confirm that," she said.
"Dover Coastguard is going to send a maritime surveyor out to see if the vessel is fit to have the other engine switched on or if it will need to be towed."
Dover Coastguard Rescue Co-ordination Centre manager Spike Hughes said it was likely the Calypso would be towed to Southampton, Hampshire.
Sussex Ambulance Service is flying a five-strong offshore paramedic response team to the Calypso by helicopter, to carry out medical assessments of those on board.
May 06, 2006
BBC News
_______
A fire on board a cruise ship carrying 462 passengers in the English Channel has sparked a major alert.
The fire, which is now out, was tackled by members of the ship's 246 crew before firefighters arrived on four lifeboats and in a rescue helicopter.
The Calypso, sailing from Tilbury, Essex, to St Peter Port in Guernsey was about 15 miles off Beachy Head.
Passengers and crew boarded the ship's lifeboats, but an evacuation was not carried out. There were no casualties.
A coastguard spokeswoman said the Mayday call had been made at about 0400 BST from the ship.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service firefighters tackled the blaze, and a service spokeswoman later said 18 firefighters had stayed on board to cool the blaze area.
"Indications are that the fire is out, but crews have to enter the engine room to confirm that," she said.
"Dover Coastguard is going to send a maritime surveyor out to see if the vessel is fit to have the other engine switched on or if it will need to be towed."
Dover Coastguard Rescue Co-ordination Centre manager Spike Hughes said it was likely the Calypso would be towed to Southampton, Hampshire.
Sussex Ambulance Service is flying a five-strong offshore paramedic response team to the Calypso by helicopter, to carry out medical assessments of those on board.
May 06, 2006
