Cruise Ship Catches Fire, Set Adrift in Indian Ocean

Barely a few weeks after the deadly Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster, passengers on another cruise vessel have been traumatized by a cruise ship accident .

According to Costa Cruises, a fire recently broke out in the engine room of the Costa Allegra. Cruise officials insist that the fire was contained and extinguished quickly. The fire did not spread to other areas of the vessel. No injuries have been reported in the fire. The vessel is currently adrift in the Indian Ocean.

However, a general emergency alarm was sounded as a precautionary measure, and all passengers and crewmembers were summoned to muster stations with their safety equipment. The vessel then launched a distress signal. The vessel is currently believed to be adrift about 200 miles southwest of the Seychelles. The Costa Allegra was operated by Costa Cruises which operated the Costa Concordia.

Crew members on the Costa Allegra are trying to stabilize the vessel with the support of the Maritime Rescue Control Center of Rome. A number of oceangoing tugs and support vessels are already at the site to assist the beleaguered cruise ship. There are reportedly about 636 passengers and 413 crew members on the vessel.

This cruise ship accident coming so soon after the Costa Concordia tragedy will do little to alleviate the fears of cruise ship passengers, many of who are having second thoughts about the safety of these cruise liners. The Costa Concordia ran aground in January, and partially sank off the Italian coast, killing 32 people.

The cruise ship injury lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers represent crewmembers and passengers injured in cruise ship accidents across the globe.