Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
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.
19 January 2019
Every three seconds, someone in the UK has an asthma attack - new figures show.
[more...]
18 January 2019
A plant-based diet is needed to protect future generations and safeguard the wellbeing of the planet, according to experts.
17 January 2019
Campaigners are protesting outside the High Court in London as the legal challenge against Heathrow Airport's controversial expansion ramps up.
16 January 2019
A new way to predict a woman's risk of breast cancer has been unveiled by scientists - and it's the most comprehensive method yet.
15 January 2019
NHS commissioners could be slapped with a £2,500 fine for every patient left waiting more than a year for vital care, new proposals suggest.
12 January 2019
All UK airports should buy anti-drone technology and not rely on the Royal Air Force to help out, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.
10 January 2019
The military was brought in on Tuesday night after police officers saw a drone operating at Heathrow Airport, forcing departures to be suspended for an hour.
11 January 2019
A so-called "drug sponge" that mops up leftover drugs from cancer treatment could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy, new research has claimed.
09 January 2019
A hormone released during exercise could help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
08 January 2019
Ryanair has been labelled the worst airline operating in the UK for the sixth year running in a leading consumer group survey.
05 January 2019
Anti-drone technology will be deployed at the UK's two busiest airports in response to the disruption caused before Christmas.
04 January 2019
A new cancer-detecting breathalyser test is being trialled in the UK - in a move that could revolutionise the way the disease is diagnosed.