Fire-hit cruise ship is back on course

A CRUISE ship with 100 Britons on board was left drifting after a fire in the seas south of the Philippines yesterday.

But the luxury Azamara Quest, carrying around 1,000 passengers, has had power and propulsion restored following the fire in one of the ship’s engine rooms yesterday. It is now sailing towards Malaysia.

A statement from Azamara Club Cruises, which owns the ship, said: “Engineers onboard Azamara Quest have been able to restore propulsion to the ship.

“Azamara Quest is currently sailing directly to Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia at between three to six knots. Based on this speed, the ship is expected to arrive in Sandakan within 24 to 48 hours.”

No passengers were injured in the incident but five crew members on board the ship suffered smoke inhalation.

The condition of one crew member who was more severely injured has improved but is still “serious” the statement added.

The news of the repair came after Jeremy Scott, of Pinner, Middlesex, praised the crew on board the ship and said the passengers were displaying the “Dunkirk spirit”.

Scott said his parents, Valerie and Billy Scott had phoned him yesterday morning from the ship to tell him they were “fine”.

“There is no panic, everybody is fine and they are just getting on with it. It is the Dunkirk spirit and they are making the best of the situation,” he said.

“The crew have been brilliant, they have done everything right.”

Scott, who owns the luxury travel company B away, said it was the 60th cruise for his 71-year-old retired financial adviser father and 70-year-old mother, from Chigwell, Essex.