North Sea DFDS ferry fire caused £815,000 damage, court hears

Version 0 of 1.

A man has appeared in court after a fire broke out on a North Sea ferry causing damage estimated at £800,000.

Boden Hughes, 26, from Sunderland, appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court charged with arson reckless to endangering life and affray.

The fire had started on the MS King Seaways at about 22:45 GMT on Saturday.

Mr Hughes was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Newcastle Crown Court on 14 January.

No pleas were entered.

The five crew members who fought the fire and a pregnant passenger were airlifted to Scarborough Hospital and later discharged.

The DFDS Seaways ferry, which was bound for the Netherlands, had 946 passengers and 127 crew on board.

The ferry had been sailing to Amsterdam, about 30 miles from the Yorkshire coast, but returned to port in North Shields after the fire broke out.

DFDS said the fire had started at about 22:45 GMT on Saturday but was extinguished within 15 minutes.

Another man, aged 28, who was also arrested on suspicion of affray, was released on bail on Monday.