Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
Or call 0345 90 80 161
01 March 2012 09:33
The Costa Allegra cruise ship has been disabled by an engine fire since Monday (AP)
A cruise firm has claimed that more than 1,000 passengers and crew on board a ship disabled by a fire face "no lack of food and other comfort items" as they are towed to the Seychelle Islands through waters prowled by pirates.
The Costa Allegra was hit by a blaze in the generator room on Monday, which has left its air conditioning, engines and lights with no power. The ship is being taken to the island of Mahe and is expected to arrive on Thursday, when passengers will be able to disembark for home and start making claims on their cruise travel insurance.
Fresh food, phones and flashlights have been delivered to the ship by helicopter. Ship owner Costa Crociere said in a statement: "The speed of the ship, despite the hot and humid climate, creates a slight breeze that helps make the situation more comfortable."
Officials for the firm, which is owned by Florida-based Carnival Corporation, had originally announced that the stricken vessel would be taken to Descroches, a smaller island in the Seychelles, but later changed it to Mahe for logistical and safety reasons.
The Costa Allegra is the sister ship of the Costa Concordia, which sank off the coast of Italy after capsizing, resulting in the death of 32 people.
02 March 2019
A Flybe flight was forced to abort take-off due to the cabin filling with "smoke" while it was accelerating along the runway at Exeter Airport.
[more...]
01 March 2019
Holidaymakers will soon be able to take advantage of the first direct flight from London to Scotland's Western Isles after Loganair announced three new routes.
28 February 2019
Over one in five women in the UK wrongly think a smear test can detect ovarian cancer, new research has revealed.
27 February 2019
One in 10 UK adults over the age of 40 is living with Type 2 diabetes, new analysis suggests - but the real figure could be much higher.
26 February 2019
British Airways has revealed the second of its series of retro liveries being recreated as part of the airline's 100th birthday celebrations.
23 February 2019
The price of a prescription in England is set to rise again, the Government has announced, in a move some campaigners have called disappointing.
22 February 2019
Just half an hour of exercise every morning could be as effective as drugs at lowering daily blood pressure, research suggests.
21 February 2019
A British man accidentally used the wrong passport to fly from Prague to the UK, leaving his friend stranded in the Czech capital.
19 February 2019
Hundreds of passengers have had their travel plans cancelled following the collapse of airline flybmi.
16 February 2019
Holidaymakers were left fuming after a "lack of clarity" over Brexit led a Romanian airline to cancel flights from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport.
15 February 2019
British Airways celebrated Valentine's Day with a special flight where all members of the cabin crew were couples who work for the airline.
14 February 2019
The "concerning" level of stigma surrounding the human papilloma virus (HPV) could be putting some women off going for vital check-ups, campaigners are warning.