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Boat reaches Italian cruise ship adrift off Seychelles | Boat reaches Italian cruise ship adrift off Seychelles |
(40 minutes later) | |
A fishing boat has reached the cruise ship adrift in the Indian Ocean with more than 1,000 people on board, officials say. | |
The Costa Allegra suffered a fire in its generator room that caused it to lose power south-west of the Seychelles - an area plagued by pirates. | |
It has no lights or air-conditioning and an emergency generator providing communications "could fail at any minute", the Italian coast guard says. | |
Tugs are still some hours away. | |
The ship is from the same fleet as the Costa Concordia, which capsized off the Italian coast in January, killing 32. | The ship is from the same fleet as the Costa Concordia, which capsized off the Italian coast in January, killing 32. |
Commander Cosimo Nicastro from the Italian coast guard told the BBC that the trawler - a French-registered ocean-going boat - could now maintain communications with rescue vessels if the ship's emergency battery failed. | |
"At any moment we could lose communication because the emergency battery could stop at any second," he said. | |
"The first step is to keep communications with the ship." | |
He said agencies involved in the rescue operation would reassess the situation when day breaks. | |
The ship's owner, Costa Cruises, has stressed that the Allegra is steady and conditions are safe. | The ship's owner, Costa Cruises, has stressed that the Allegra is steady and conditions are safe. |
It says it is liaising with passengers' families via their emergency contact numbers, and has reached two-thirds of them. Contact has been made with the relatives of all the crew. | It says it is liaising with passengers' families via their emergency contact numbers, and has reached two-thirds of them. Contact has been made with the relatives of all the crew. |
Families in the UK can call the company's emergency line on 0207 940 3300. | Families in the UK can call the company's emergency line on 0207 940 3300. |
'Not in danger' | 'Not in danger' |
Italian authorities have directed three merchant ships and another fishing vessel towards the stricken cruise ship. | |
Authorities in the Seychelles say they have sent two tug boats and a coast guard ship to the scene but the tugs are not expected to reach the ship until around 1500 GMT on Tuesday | |
A plane has flown overhead and reported that the ship did not appear to be in danger. | A plane has flown overhead and reported that the ship did not appear to be in danger. |
Costa Cruises said that the ship sent out a distress signal when the fire broke out, and all passengers and crew not involved in fighting the fire assembled at the muster stations. | |
Most electric lights on board the ship are off as the batteries are being used to keep essential machinery going. | Most electric lights on board the ship are off as the batteries are being used to keep essential machinery going. |
A spokesman said the situation on board was calm and the ship was stable. | A spokesman said the situation on board was calm and the ship was stable. |
Captain Giorgio Moretti said a helicopter would bring fresh food to the ship on Tuesday morning, as it is without cooking facilities. | |
Captain Moretti said it had not been decided whether to try to transfer the passengers to other ships, or leave them on board until it is tugged to shore. | Captain Moretti said it had not been decided whether to try to transfer the passengers to other ships, or leave them on board until it is tugged to shore. |
There are 636 passengers and 413 crew on board the Costa Allegra, which left Madagascar on Saturday. | There are 636 passengers and 413 crew on board the Costa Allegra, which left Madagascar on Saturday. |
It was due to arrive in the Seychelles on Tuesday. | It was due to arrive in the Seychelles on Tuesday. |
Further destinations on its itinerary include Alexandria and Naples in the Mediterranean Sea. | Further destinations on its itinerary include Alexandria and Naples in the Mediterranean Sea. |
Somali pirates are known to operate in the area where the Allegra is adrift, though they have never seized a cruise ship. | |
Nine members of the Italian navy's anti-pirate unit are on board the ship as a precaution. | Nine members of the Italian navy's anti-pirate unit are on board the ship as a precaution. |
A facility on Costa Cruises' website allowing people to track the Allegra's position says that "data transmission is temporarily suspended". | A facility on Costa Cruises' website allowing people to track the Allegra's position says that "data transmission is temporarily suspended". |
The company says the Allegra received its regularly scheduled maintenance in dry dock in October 2011. | The company says the Allegra received its regularly scheduled maintenance in dry dock in October 2011. |
The Costa Concordia ran aground off the Italian island of Giglio on 13 January. | The Costa Concordia ran aground off the Italian island of Giglio on 13 January. |
The Concordia's captain, Francesco Schettino, has been accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship before all those aboard were evacuated. He denies any wrongdoing | The Concordia's captain, Francesco Schettino, has been accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship before all those aboard were evacuated. He denies any wrongdoing |
Are you on board the ship? Do you have friends or family on board? Please get in touch using the form below. | Are you on board the ship? Do you have friends or family on board? Please get in touch using the form below. |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |