After a fire on Monday afternoon, the situation on the passenger ferry Stena Scandica off the Swedish coast is developing more dramatically than initially expected. The fire caused the power to go out, a spokeswoman said.
The ferry is now slowly drifting with strong winds off the Swedish coast towards the island of Gotland. That is why attempts are now being made to disembark families with children and the elderly using helicopters.
Initially there were about 70 people. Of the 299 people on the ferry, 241 were passengers, the shipping authority writes in a press release. A tug to take the ship to Nynäshamn harbor south of Stockholm is underway, the spokeswoman said. “Hopefully he will be there in time. But there is a small risk that the ferry will run aground before then.”
In the afternoon, a fire broke out in a refrigerated container on the car deck of the passenger ferry. However, the crew managed to extinguish the fire. There were no reports of injuries. During an evacuation, pilot boats and helicopters were sent in the direction of the ferry. A cargo ship and another passenger ferry had also responded to the distress call.
The ferry was near the small Swedish island of Gotska Sandön when the fire broke out. She was on her way from Ventspils in Latvia to Nynäshamn.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
