Terrified British holidaymakers plunged into darkness after stricken cruise ship began to list off coast of Morocco following fire in engine room

  • Boudicca cruise ship became stranded at sea after fire broke out at 4 a.m. 
  • Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said ship listed after loss of propulsion system
  • It said the ship is now fully stable and there is no danger to guests or crew
  • Boudicca is currently on an 18-night cruise which departed Southampton
  • Ship carrying 784 guests and 356 crew departed Cadiz, Spain yesterday

By Sian Boyle for the Daily Mail

Published: 06:17 EST, 25 January 2015 | Updated: 06:45 EST, 26 January 2015

Passengers on a luxury cruise liner were terrified when a fire plunged it into darkness.

The Boudicca was sailing off the coast of Morocco at 4am on Sunday when the engine room caught alight.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines tweeted this photo of sunbathing passengers about ten hours after the emergency

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines tweeted this photo of sunbathing passengers about ten hours after the emergency

The Boudicca, carrying more than 1,000 passengers and crew, became stranded off Casablanca (file photo)

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said the cruise ship began to list after a fire broke out inside an engine room

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said the cruise ship began to list after a fire broke out inside an engine room

As the ship lost power and drifted in the darkness, the 784 passengers, including many Britons, contacted their loved ones back home.

Dave Tonkin, a father of two from Burnham-on-Sea who had relatives on board, wrote on Twitter: ‘Boudicca listing hard and engineless off coast of Africa after engine fire. Ship left in pitch black. Worrying texts from family on board.’

BOUDICCA ITINERARY 

  • Tuesday 20 January: Depart Southampton
  • 21-23 January: Cruising
  • Saturday 24 January: Arrive at Cadiz, Spain
  • Sunday 25 January: Cruising
  • Monday 26 January: Arrive at Arrecife, Lanzarote
  • 27-28 January: Cruising
  • Thursday 29 January: Arrive at Mindelo, Cape Verde
  • Friday 30 January: Arrive at Praia, Cape Verde
  • 31 January-1 February: Cruising
  • Monday 2 February: Arrive at Santa Cruz, Tenerife
  • Tuesday 3 February: Arrive at Funchal, Madeira
  • 4-6 February: Cruising
  • Saturday 7 February: Return to Southampton

Lucy Birch, from Sheffield, wrote on Twitter how she had received ‘a panicked phone call of love from relatives who fear for their life’.

Other Britons used the social media site to contact the cruise liner’s owner to report the distraught phone calls they had received from family members in the night.

However, the crew managed to bring the fire under control.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, which manages the Boudicca, yesterday said: ‘The fire was in the engine room, but [was] extinguished, and no guests or crew have been injured.

‘Following the loss of propulsion system, Boudicca listed for a short period, but is now fully stable. Guests’ services have now been restored, and guests have been kept informed of the situation at all times.

It said: 'The ship’s Master has confirmed that at no point were guests asked to don their lifejackets and gather at the muster stations, as the situation was contained within the engine room by our crew members. Services are operating normally, and guests are enjoying the usual activities on board, both inside and out on deck.'

Boudicca, which boasts 356 crew members, three pools, two Jacuzzis, seven restaurants, a jewellery store and a casino, departed from Southampton on January 20 for a cruise around Cape Verde and the Canaries, and was scheduled to arrive in Lanzarote this morning after leaving Cadiz, Spain, on Saturday. 

Passengers had shelled out between £1,199 and £2,049 for the 18-night experience.

The cruise itinerary included stop-offs at Madeira and Tenerife and promised ‘lush mountain ranges and deserted beaches to volcanic landscapes and vibrant towns’. A Fred Olsen spokesman said it was trying to get their itinerary back on schedule. 

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said services were up and running and there was 'a good atmosphere' on board

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said services were up and running and there was 'a good atmosphere' on board

The Boudicca, carrying 784 guests and 356 crew members, departed Cadiz, Spain yesterday

The Boudicca, carrying 784 guests and 356 crew members, departed Cadiz, Spain yesterday

The ship is on an 18-night Cape Verde and the Canaries cruise, which departed Southampton on 20 January

The ship is on an 18-night Cape Verde and the Canaries cruise, which departed Southampton on 20 January

Some cabins and public areas were still without power nearly 12 hours after the fire was reported

Some cabins and public areas were still without power nearly 12 hours after the fire was reported

Gavin Poole, who has family members on board the Boudicca, said he received 'worrying' text messages

Gavin Poole, who has family members on board the Boudicca, said he received 'worrying' text messages

Britons who have family members on board the ship expressed their relief after learning no one was injured 

Britons who have family members on board the ship expressed their relief after learning no one was injured 

Dave Tonkin, whose father is on board, said the fire left the Boudicca ‘listing’ and ‘in pitch black’

Dave Tonkin, whose father is on board, said the fire left the Boudicca ‘listing’ and ‘in pitch black’

Boudicca was built in 1972 and is one of four ships owned by Ipswich-based Fred Olsen Cruise Lines

Boudicca was built in 1972 and is one of four ships owned by Ipswich-based Fred Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said the Boudicca is fully stable and there is no danger to guests or crew (file photo)

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said the Boudicca is fully stable and there is no danger to guests or crew (file photo)

Despite the disruption, Fred Olsen said the ship is still aiming to arrive in Lanzarote tomorrow (file photo)

Despite the disruption, Fred Olsen said the ship is still aiming to arrive in Lanzarote tomorrow (file photo)

Cruise ships have suffered a series of misfortunes recently.

Last month three people died when a fire broke out aboard the Oceania Insignia luxury liner off the Caribbean island of St Lucia. All 656 passengers and 400 crew members were evacuated.

And in November, the MS Marco Polo cruise liner carrying 750 tourists ran aground in Norway – just nine months after British pensioner James Swinstead, 85, from Colchester, Essex, was killed and several other passengers injured when waves crashed through its windows when violent storms hit the English Channel.

In July, the shipwrecked Costa Concordia was finally removed from rocks two-and-a-half years after the liner sank with the loss of 32 lives off the coast of the Italian holiday island of Giglio. 

 

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