A luxury cruise turned tragic early Friday morning after a fire broke out onboard a passenger ship sailing toward Singapore, leaving one person dead and several others hospitalized.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, emergency officials received reports of a fire around 4 a.m. local time on Feb. 20 aboard the Liberia-registered vessel World Legacy. At the time, 271 passengers and 338 crew members were onboard.
The blaze reportedly started in the lounge area on deck nine. Crew members worked quickly to contain the fire before Singapore Civil Defence Force marine firefighters stepped in to fully extinguish it.
Passengers were evacuated at HarbourFront Ferry Terminal as emergency teams rushed to assist.
Tragically, one crew member — identified as an Indonesian national — was pronounced dead at the scene. Four others were transported to the hospital for further treatment. Officials have not released details about the extent of their injuries.
“The deceased crew member has been transferred ashore,” the Maritime and Port Authority said in a statement, adding that the Indonesian embassy in Singapore has been notified. Authorities are handling the necessary follow-up.
Photos shared by officials show passengers in life jackets being escorted off the vessel as first responders secured the area.
The ship is currently anchored at Raffles Reserved Anchorage while investigators work to determine what caused the fire. Authorities have also established a safety zone around the vessel and issued navigational advisories to nearby ships.
The World Legacy is managed by Singapore-based travel agency Dragon Cruises, which said it is fully cooperating with investigators.
“Passenger and crew safety is our top priority,” a spokesperson told local media.
As of now, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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