Fire aboard Costa liner leaves cruise ship adrift

An undated picture made available by the Costa Crociere press office showing the Costa Allegra cruise ship. / AP Photo/Costa Crociere

NAIROBI, Kenya - An Italian cruise liner carrying more than 1,000 people was adrift without power in the pirate-infested Indian Ocean on Monday after a fire erupted in its generator room. Officials said the blaze was extinguished without causing injuries.

The fire aboard the Costa Allegra occurred only six weeks after one of its sister ships, the Costa Concordia, hit a reef and capsized off Italy, killing 25 people and leaving seven missing and presumed dead. Both ships are operated by Costa Crociere SpA, which is owned by the Florida-based Carnival Corp.

Tug boats from the island nation of Seychelles were steaming to the powerless Costa Allegra, which was carrying 636 passengers and 413 crew members. But the tugs were not expected to arrive until Tuesday afternoon at the earliest. Italian coast guard officials said a large French ocean fishing boat could be the first vessel to reach the stricken cruise liner late Monday night.

The officials, who were in regular contact with the Allegra's crew members, said emergency generators were keeping the ship's command room illuminated and instruments such as its radio functioning. But the rest of the ship apparently was dark as night fell.

The officials said the cruise liner was holding steady, despite 5-foot waves in the area and that the passengers were being kept in the ship's big communal rooms, not their cabins.

Italian Coast Guard Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro told SkyTG24 TV that everyone aboard the vessel was safe. But the fire left the cruise liner adrift in the Indian Ocean because its engines weren't working.

The general region where the cruise ship was adrift, off the coast of Tanzania, has seen a rash of attacks by Somali pirates, but they have never hijacked a cruise ship.

Nicastro said armed anti-piracy military personnel were aboard, but he added that there appeared to be no immediate danger of pirates. Attention was being focused on rescue efforts, he said.

Seychelles presidential spokeswoman Srdjana Janosevic said, "If pirates attack, the armed guards on board will respond. But as far as I am aware, no pirates have been sighted in the area."

Costa Crociere SpA, which is based in Genoa, Italy, said in a statement that its ship was about 20 miles from Alphonse Island, one of the atolls in the Seychelles, a nation of islands and atolls that is a popular tourist destination.

The Allegra had left northern Madagascar, off Africa's southeast coast, on Saturday and was cruising toward the port of Victoria, Seychelles' capital, when the fire erupted. Costa said the Allegra had been due in Victoria on Tuesday.

[Transatlantique]

"The general region where the cruise ship was adrift, off the coast of Tanzania, has seen a rash of attacks by Somali pirates, but they have never hijacked a cruise ship."

Not true. The Seabourn Spirit was attacked in 2005, and they fended the pirates off, who launched various fire arms at them, with a new device which created a high pitched earsplitting noise that drove them away.

[SUZAMBA]

Maybe somali pirates never attacked a cruise ship because it wasn't "adrift."

[kevboom]

Which begs the question, why is anyone still sailing with Costa? Let alone through "pirate-infested waters."

[bobnjersey]

[The officials, who were in regular contact with the Allegra's crew members, said emergency generators were keeping the ship's command room illuminated and instruments such as its radio functioning. But the rest of the ship apparently was dark as night fell.]
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people are still giving their money to this company?

[omded]

The Carnival Splendor, also owned by this company, had the exact same thing happen not long ago. It caught fire and was adrift until tug boats could tow it into San Diego for repairs. Carnival owns the Italian line that operates this ship too. Too many fires on Carnival ships!

[vsmit]

First thing, the captain sends everyone to their muster stations (lesson from the Concordia). Second thing, the first mate handcuffs the captain to the wheel so he won't "fall" into a lifeboat. lol

[ProgressNow]

I don't EVEN want to see what their interest rate has gone up to...!

[Samlv]

Epic.

[stuwerb]

Anyone out there want to go on an Italian cruise? Anyone out there want to go on an 'Murican cruise? Think I'll just stay at home and pig out on the couch.

[venusvegasvada]

Couch Pirate

[thomasmc1957]

Don't book with Carnival unless you have a death wish.

[themanfrombrum]

Nor White Star!