Fire forces full evacuation of ship off Puerto Rico

Sunday, 18 Aug, 2016 0

Two dozen passengers were hospitalized after the blaze on the Caribbean Fantasy cruise ferry ship forced the evacuation of 500 passengers and crew off the coast of Puerto Rico.

It includes three woman who dislocated ankles and one man who broke his leg sliding down emergency chutes.

Coast guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad said an investigation is underway, and a burst fuel hose is suspected as the cause, according to a ship mechanic.

The Panamanian-flagged ship was built in 1989 and the US coast guard noted 107 faults during scheduled checks of the ship since 2010, according to a ProPublica investigation.

No major faults were recorded during its most recent inspection but the agency recommended in 2015 fuel lines be protected to avoid any leakage near ignition sources.

The ship, owned by American Cruise Ferries, was made up of mostly Dominican passengers.

The ship runs weekly between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

One passenger described it ‘like something out of a movie.’

"You panic when you see that. You’re in the middle of the ocean and there’s a fire. Imagine that," said Maria Prensa, a 64-year-old Dominican passenger.

Angel Crespo, director of Puerto Rico’s emergency management agency said more than 100 people were treated for heat stroke, shock and dehydration, with 24 more taken to hospital.

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

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