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Allegra passengers face ANOTHER 36 hours on stricken ship
Passengers stranded onboard the stricken Costa Allegra face another day and a half on the ship after it was decided that it was not safe to tow them to the Indian Ocean island of Desroches, as originally planned.
Maritime experts have decided that the Desroches port is too small for the ship and the island, which has just one hotel, does not have enough facilities to cope with the arrival of more than 1,000 passengers and crew from the Costa Allegra.
Instead, the Allegra – which was expected to arrive in Desroches tomorrow morning – has switched course and will now be towed 155 miles further to Mahe, the main island in the Seychelles, where it is not due to arrive until 6am Thursday, local time (2am GMT)
The Allegra, from the same fleet as the Costa Concordia which capsized off the coast of Italy last month, lost all power yesterday after a fire broke out in the generator room.
Passengers – including 31 Britons – and crew who were not fighting the fire were told to go to their muster stations initially and they apparently remained on deck last night as the inside of the ship is too hot without the use of air-conditioning.
The ship has no lights or wash facilities, but Costa said helicopters would continue to deliver regular food supplies, flashlights and ‘comfort items’ until the ship reaches land.
Costa said two tugs, presently approaching the ship, will help tow it to Mahe, increasing its speed.
A statement on the company’s website said: "Costa Cruises is working with all the Authorities responsible for the coordination of the emergency, to ensure the best possible assistance to all our guests and make their discomfort as short as possible and to reach their next destination.
"The Company is sincerely sorry for the inconvenience: absolute priority is to make it as short as possible."
By Linsey McNeill
This artilce was amended to remove the reference to Costa Allegra being a sister ship to the Concorida, which was from the same fleet but of a different design and class, as per the comment below
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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