Holidaymakers escape burning cruise ship

8.40am

PAPEETE, Tahiti - Rescuers evacuated a four-masted luxury cruise ship after fire broke out aboard near Bora Bora in French Polynesia today.

All 127 passengers aboard Wind Song were taken off unhurt after a blaze that started in the engine rooms and appeared to be purely accidental, crisis centre officials said.

A passenger ferry in the area sped to the scene to help with the initial evacuation after the captain raised the alert, they said.

Two planes were due to bring the tourists back to Papeete, the capital of nearby Tahiti.

Most of the passengers on the ship operated by Seattle-based Windstar Cruises, were US citizens, they said. There were also 19 Canadians, as well as Mexicans, Argentines and a couple of French nationals, they said.

Most of the ship's crew, among them Indonesians and others from the Philippines, were taken off the ship too, but over a dozen crew members stayed aboard to try to contain the damage pending the arrival of fire-fighters on French navy vessels from Papeete.

Crisis centre officials said initial reports suggested Wing Song, a motor ship that also has four masts with sails, was seriously damaged but there was little risk of it sinking and plans were being prepared to tow the vessel away.

- REUTERS

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