A Ferry with 335 people on board catches fire in Baltic Sea

Mangalore Today News Network

Lithuania, Oct 02, 2018 : A ferrywith 335 people on board on fire in the Baltic Sea, Lithuania’s military said on Tuesday.

 

The military sent a helicopter to the ferry and has two more on standby if needed, a spokesman for the country’s air force said.

The ferry sent out a distress call at 10.45am (GMT).

It was heading to the Lithuanian port town of Klaipeda from Kiel, Germany.

A Danish ferry company gave a conflicting account, saying 294 passengers were stranded after an engine breakdown in the Baltic Sea.

DFDS said the malfunction aboard the Regina Seaways produced smoke, which triggered the ship’s fire extinguishing system in the engine room.

No passengers or crew members were injured, according to a statement.

The company said passengers were assembled at muster stations in preparation for a possible evacuation, but it wasn’t necessary because the “situation is under control”.

The statement said the extent of the damage was not yet fully known, and it is not yet clear whether the ship can continue on its own or with tugboat assistance.