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Boat reaches Italian cruise ship adrift off Seychelles Italian cruise ship adrift off Seychelles taken in tow
(about 1 hour later)
A fishing boat has reached the cruise ship adrift in the Indian Ocean with more than 1,000 people on board, officials say. 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.
The Costa Allegra suffered a fire in its generator room that caused it to lose power south-west of the Seychelles - an area where pirates are active. A French fishing vessel is taking the Costa Allegra to a nearby island where passengers will be disembarked before being transferred to the Seychelles.
It has no air-conditioning or cooking facilities and an emergency generator powering the radio "could fail at any minute", the Italian coast guard says. A fire in the ship's generator room caused it to lose all power.
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. 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.
"At any moment we could lose communication because the emergency battery could stop at any second," he said. 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.
"The first step is to keep communications with the ship." Tugs sent from Mahe are due to meet up with the Costa Allegra at around 0900 GMT, our correspondent adds.
He said agencies involved in the rescue operation would reassess the situation later in the morning. 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.
The ship's owner, Costa Cruises, has stressed that the Allegra - drifting about 32km (20 miles) from Alphonse Island, one of the atolls in the Seychelles - is steady and conditions are safe. Earlier, Commander Cosimo Nicastro from the Italian coast guard confirmed that the French-registered ocean-going trawler had reached the ship.
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. 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.
Families in the UK can call the company's emergency line on 0207 940 3300. 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.
'Not in danger' 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 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 Authorities in the Seychelles earlier said that a plane had 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.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.
He 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.
"The captain has assembled the passengers on the decks of the ship," he said.
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. 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 wrongdoingThe 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.
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