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Italian cruise ship adrift off Seychelles taken in tow | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A cruise ship left adrift in the Indian Ocean with more than 1,000 people on board following a power failure, has been taken in tow. | |
A French fishing vessel is taking the Costa Allegra to a nearby island where passengers will be disembarked before being transferred to the Seychelles. | |
A fire in the ship's generator room caused it to lose all power. | |
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. |
The BBC's Katy Watson on Seychelles says that the ship is being towed to the Desroches island, near Alphonse island, south-west of the Seychelles. | |
Once there the passengers will be disembarked to the one hotel on the island, and then await transfer to the main Seychelles island of Mahe. | |
Tugs sent from Mahe are due to meet up with the Costa Allegra at around 0900 GMT, our correspondent adds. | |
The Allegra has no air-conditioning or cooking facilities and an emergency generator powering the radio "could fail at any minute", the Italian coast guard says. | |
Earlier, Commander Cosimo Nicastro from the Italian coast guard confirmed that the French-registered ocean-going trawler had reached the ship. | |
The ship's owner, Costa Cruises, has stressed that the Allegra - which had been drifting about 32km (20 miles) from Alphonse Island, one of the atolls in the Seychelles - is steady and conditions are safe. No-one has been injured, officials said. | |
The company 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 020 7940 3300. | |
'Ship stable' | |
Italian authorities have directed three merchant ships and another fishing vessel towards the stricken cruise ship. | Italian authorities have directed three merchant ships and another fishing vessel towards the stricken cruise ship. |
Authorities in the Seychelles earlier said that a plane had 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. | 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. |
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 was 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. |
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