Three lifeboats and a French salvage tug were launched after a fire broke out on board a ferry in the Channel.
Irish Ferries, which owns the vessel, said all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for after flames were discovered in the engine room of the Isle of Innisfree at about 5:30pm on Friday. The ferry was about halfway across the Channel on a journey from Dover to Calais.
Three RNLI lifeboats were scrambled from Kent as a precaution. A French tug boat was also dispatched to the scene.
The ship, carrying 94 passengers and 89 crew, has since been at anchor in the Channel.
It is expected to be under way to Calais shortly, with the assistance of a tug.
In a statement, the company said: “Irish Ferries can confirm that Friday evening 3 March, the crew on board its ship the Isle of Innisfree successfully extinguished a small fire in the ship’s engine room while sailing from Dover to Calais. At the time, the Coastguard was informed and dispatched three RNLI lifeboats as a precautionary measure, but they were not required to assist and have since been stood down.
“When the ship arrives in Calais, Irish Ferries will commence a full investigation into the incident in conjunction with the relevant authorities and will also assess what repairs will be necessary.
“In the meantime, the Isle of Innisfree’s imminent sailings have been cancelled, and affected customers are being contacted with alternative travel arrangements. Irish Ferries would like to sincerely apologise to all passengers affected by this evening’s incident, and the disruption to their onward journeys.”
HM Coastguard said it “was alerted just after 17:30 today [3 March] to a fire in the engine room of a ferry that was midway from Dover to Calais.”
It added: “The vessel has confirmed that the fire has been extinguished, but it is experiencing technical issues.
“The incident is ongoing.”
