msc cruise on fire

MSC Cruises ship catches fire while docked in Greek port; no injuries among skeleton crew

MSC Lirica, an MSC Cruises ship, caught fire on Friday in Corfu, Greece, Luca Biondolillo, spokesperson for the cruise line, confirmed to USA TODAY.

"Today at 15:42 (3:42 pm) local time in Corfu where she is currently in warm layup, MSC Lirica reported a fire incident into the MSC Maritime Support Centre in London," MSC said in a statement provided by Biondolillo. 

The fire started in one of the ship's starboard-side fiberglass lifeboats on its sixth deck.

"The fire has since been brought under control thanks to the intervention of the ship’s two fire brigades and the support of the local emergency services," MSC continued, noting that at 18:58 (6:58 pm) local time the incident operation was deemed complete.

There were no injuries among the 51 crew members who were on board to maintain the ship. There were no passengers on board.

"From a preliminary assessment, there was no damage to the inside of the ship but only to her side due to the flames and the dense black smoke caused by the fiberglass lifeboats," MSC said.

According to Marine Traffic , a ship tracking service, the ship was positioned at the port of Corfu and had been there since March 1. 

Facebook user Μαρια Σκουρτη streamed a live video of the ship as it was going up in flames.

In the near hour-long stream, huge black plumes of smoke can be seen billowing from the middle of the ship's starboard, or right, side. Later, a close-up short reveals orange flames and rescue teams arriving on the scene.

MSC Lirica can carry up to 2,548 passengers and 752 crew members when in full operation, according to the cruise line. The ship is 902 feet long and weighs 65,591 tons.

This story was first reported by Cruise Industry News .

This story is developing and will be updated.

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Msc cruises ship catches fire off greek coast.

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A massive fire broke out on a cruise ship docked off the coast of Greece on Friday afternoon.

Plumes of smoke were seen billowing out of the MSC Lirica , which has been moored at a Corfu port since January, according to the Greek news site Kathimerini .

Fifty-one crew members were aboard the 2,300 capacity vessel when the fire started, but no one was injured, MSC Cruises told the Post.

The fire started in one of the ship’s fiberglass lifeboats, and a preliminary investigation found the damage was contained to the starboard side of the ship, MSC said.

Footage shows two lifeboats attached to the ship’s starboard side had caught on fire, before firefighting vessels could respond to the inferno.

The cruise industry has been anchored down for months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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• Cruise News

MSC Cruises Ship Catches on Fire in Corfu, Greece [VIDEO]

Sarah Bretz, Contributor

• March 12, 2021
• 1.0K shares

One of MSC Cruises’ ships caught fire on Friday off the coast of Corfu, Greece.

MSC Lirica can be seen in the nearly hour-long video — which you can watch in its entirety below — with smoke pouring out of the starboard side toward the middle of the vessel, on what appears to be the outdoor promenade deck where the lifeboats are kept. Flames were also visible.

[UPDATE] MSC Cruises put out the following statement on March 12 at 12:35 pm EST:

“Today at 3:42 p.m. local time in Corfu where she is currently in warm layup, MSC Lirica reported a fire incident into the MSC Maritime Support Centre in London, UK. The fire originated from one of the ship’s starboard-side fiberglass lifeboats on deck 6.

The fire has since been brought under control thanks to the intervention of the ship’s two fire brigades and the support of the local emergency services. The incident operation was declared completed by 6:58 p.m. local time. There were no injuries among the 51 crew who were on board the ship at the time of the incident.

From a preliminary assessment, there was no damage to the inside of the ship but only to her side due to the flames and the dense black smoke caused by the fiberglass lifeboats. A full investigation is now in progress.”

MSC Lirica was launched in 2003, and was MSC Cruises’ very first new build ship. It can hold 1,984 passengers at double occupancy and approximately 700 crew members. In 2015, the ship underwent an extensive dry dock during which it was cut in half and lengthened to add cabins and enlarge public areas.

The vessel was set to launch Mediterranean cruises from Ancona and Venice, Italy in May.

After being shut down along with the rest of the cruise industry last March, MSC Cruises officially resumed sailings in the Mediterranean in August 2020. Right now, MSC Grandiosa is operating seven-nights cruises in Italy and Malta. In May, MSC Seaside will join Grandiosa in the Mediterranean to sail itineraries in the same region.

In the United States, MSC Cruises currently plans to resume cruising in May 2021. The line has three ships based in Florida:  MSC Meraviglia  and  Armonia  in Miami, and  MSC Divina  in Port Canaveral.

READ MORE:  MSC Reveals New Details on Upcoming US-based Cruise Ship

Update on March 15 at 11:15 am with an updated photo of the damage.

Update on March 12 at 2:20 pm with an updated statement from MSC concerning the incident.

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Watch: MSC cruise ship catches fire in Port of Corfu

The cruise vessel “MSC Lirica” has caught on fire, while docked at the port of Corfu in Greece. Thankfully, no passengers were onboard the ship, as it has been out of service due to the pause on cruising.

According to local media sources, the fire occurred on Friday 12 March at 15:30 local time.

However, the fire has since been brought under control thanks to the intervention of the ship’s two fire brigades and the support of the local emergency services.

In light of the situation, approximately 38 firefighters with 13 vehicles and a firefighting boat with 8 firefighters were promptly responded to the emergency scene.

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As explained, the fire originated from one of the ship’s starboard-side fiberglass lifeboats on deck 6.

What is more, there were no passengers on board, while no injuries have been reported among crew members.

From a preliminary assessment, there was no damage to the inside of the ship but only to her side due to the flames and the dense black smoke caused by the fiberglass lifeboats.

…according to a statement from MSC Cruises.

At the moment, the causes of the fire have not been identified, while an investigation is under progress.

Concluding, the cruise ship has been moored in the port of the Corfu since January 30th.

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VIDEO: Fire on MSC Cruises' ship MSC Lirica in Greece

A fire broke out aboard one of MSC Cruises ' ships idled in Greece on Thursday, March 11.

The fire was reported at 3:42 p.m. local time aboard MSC Lirica , currently in warm layup without cruise passengers in Port Kerkyra (Corfu Island, Greece) . The fire was put out by 6:58 pm. The operation was conducted by the cruise liner's two fire brigades assisted by land-based Greek emergency response teams.

No injuries have been reported among the ship's 51 skeleton crew.

According to MSC Cruises, the blaze had originated from a starboard-side fiberglass lifeboat on the liner's 6th deck. A preliminary assessment had revealed only exterior damage to the ship caused by the flames and black smoke.

A full investigation of the accident is currently ongoing.

MSC Lirica has been idled because of the ongoing health crisis and has been docked at Corfu's Port Kerkyra since March 1.

For more MSC Lirica accidents and incidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.

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MSC cruise ship catches fire off Greek coast

Msc lirica was due to resume sailing the mediterranean in may.

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A large fire broke out on an MSC  cruise ship docked in Greece on Friday.

The fire started on a fiberglass lifeboat on the MSC Lirica before 3:42 p.m. local time and sent large plumes of smoke billowing into the sky, according to MSC Cruises.

The ship is docked at the port of Corfu for the winter with 51 crew aboard, but no passengers. There were no injuries, according to the cruise line.

Firefighters on vessels try to extinguish a fire on a cruise ship at the port of Corfu, northwestern Greece, on Friday. (Stamatis Katopodis/InTime News via AP)

CRYSTAL CRUISES TO RESUME SAILING IN BAHAMAS IN JULY

The cause wasn't immediately known. A cruise line spokesperson said an investigation is underway.

Photos from the scene showed a portion of the ship’s middle blackened by the fire, while firefighters sprayed the flames from several smaller boats alongside the cruise ship.

A fire broke out on the cruise ship docked in the port of Corfu as the 51 crew members on board were in good health, the coast guard said. (Stamatis Katopodis/InTime News via AP)

It took firefighters about three hours to get the fire under control. Efforts to extinquish the blaze were declared completed at 6:58 p.m. local time, according to the cruise line.

A preliminary assessment showed damage to the side of the ship but not inside, the MSC spokesperson said.

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The 902-foot-long, 65,591-ton ship has 992 staterooms with a capacity of 2,548 passengers plus 752 crew members, according to MSC Cruises. Amenities onboard the ship include a spa, theater, casino and disco.

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The Lirica had been scheduled to resume sailing the Mediterranean in May.

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• MSC Cruises

MSC Lirica Is On Fire in Corfu - Merged Threads

By Jeremiah1212 , March 12, 2021 in MSC Cruises

Recommended Posts

Jeremiah1212

Ship is currently on fire in Corfu. Heavy smoke and flames are visible. Several live streams on FB.  

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24549-msc-lirica-is-on-fire-in-corfu.html

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

SummmerInKefalonia

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24549-msc-lirica-is-on-fire-in-corfu.html?fbclid=IwAR0McI1CK4jpikSlJO1BTmRXnxVblz0jsjSgBmtCNwskYuqibvYTz6G3NwU

LIVE COVERAGE:

https://www.iefimerida.gr/ellada/kerkyra-fotia-se-kroyazieroploio-sto-limani-eikona-binteo

Yes I'm seeing posts and pictures all over face-book!

Fire looks to be amidships .

Looks like another one for the breakers!

Just had a video from a friend who lives on Corfu Island, did not look to good.

This video is from youtube.  MSC LIRICA IS ON FIRE - YouTube

MSC SHIP  FIRE

https://youtu.be/MVKFKL-BxjE

Here's a close-up of the damage.

Definitely started in a lifeboat.

Linda the Book Lover

I hope those involved are alright with no injuries.

• 3 yr Host Hattie changed the title to MSC Lirica Is On Fire in Corfu - Merged Threads

Hope folks are all OK

highcruiser

2 hours ago, GregD said: Here's a close-up of the damage. Definitely started in a lifeboat.

Lifeboat can't cause fire

44 minutes ago, highcruiser said: Lifeboat can't cause fire

Yep very true, it's usually accidents that causes fires. Looking at Marine Traffic and Windy.com there is a slight theoretical chance, that a cigarette, accidentally falling out of an ashtray on the sundeck, could drop back inwards onto the lifeboat :-

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:19.906/centery:39.633/zoom:15

https://www.windy.com/?39.628,20.197,9

Why not?  There is gasoline there for one thing.

Maybe work was being done on it and S--- happened?

1 hour ago, highcruiser said: Lifeboat can't cause fire

That sounds sorta like an absolute.

1 hour ago, Bertie Doe said: Yep very true, it's usually accidents that causes fires. Looking at Marine Traffic and Windy.com there is a slight theoretical chance, that a cigarette, accidentally falling out of an ashtray on the sundeck, could drop back inwards onto the lifeboat :-   https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:19.906/centery:39.633/zoom:15   https://www.windy.com/?39.628,20.197,9      

Unlikely as there are no passengers onboard, Fires usually come down to three things, Accidental, Mechanical Failure or Malicious Ignition.

From what we see here ^ what decks are involved?

https://www.cruisecheap.com/deckplans/msc-cruises-msc-lirica-deckplans-puccini-deck.html

optimusprime82

Glad hear that no one was injured. Hopefully she wont' be laid up for too long.

MSC is reporting that the fire originated in a lifeboat on the starboard side and caused exterior damage but little interior damage. The heavy black smoke was due to the material used (fibreglass) for the hull and superstructure of the lifeboats. 

3 hours ago, highcruiser said: Lifeboat can't cause fire

The lithium batteries in some of the safety equipment can though. 

One would think that the materials used to manufacture a lifeboats would be fireproof. 

Good to hear that no one was injured in the fire.

34 minutes ago, LouChamp said: One would think that the materials used to manufacture a lifeboats would be fireproof. 

They are fire resistant but if exposed to flame for a certain amount of time will ignite.

5 hours ago, highcruiser said: Lifeboat can't cause fire

Apparently you are wrong, according to MSC. So either someone dropped a cigarette from a balcony above that lit the lifeboat up or it had a mechanical issue. Glad to hear there were no injuries.

This was posted by chengkp75 on the Princess board.  I hope he doesn't mind me sharing it.

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said: Very likely they were test running the lifeboat engines, and this one caught on fire.  The lifeboat engines, by design get very little use, so they frequently pump some oil through the engine and into the exhaust pipe, where it collects.  These are typically flexible accordion type stainless steel hoses, so they can run along the bottom of the boat.  The oil collects in the low point, and when the engine is run long enough for the exhaust gas to get really hot, the oil will light off, superheating the exhaust pipe, and catching anything nearby on fire.  I suspect a couple of engineers were going along the entire starboard side, starting all the boat engines, and letting them run while they went to the next, etc.  One of the boats they started a while back, caught fire.  It is a moderately common fault of boats that are not maintained in top condition, or that have been left for a while, like when a ship is in lay-up.

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Home » Cruises » MSC Cruises confirm ship fire started in lifeboat but everyone onboard is safe

MSC Cruises confirm ship fire started in lifeboat but everyone onboard is safe

Corfu: Smoke plumes seen rising from cruise ship off the coast

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Onlookers were left shocked as they witnessed what appeared to be a huge fire breaking out onboard an MSC Cruise ship docked off the coast of Corfu.

Earlier this afternoon, social media footage circulated of billowing smoke coming from the MSC Lirica, in the Greek port of Corfu.

However, now the cruise firm has assured that no one onboard has been injured as a result.

Furthermore, the source of the fire has also been uncovered and emergency services on hand.

An MSC Cruises spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “A fire onboard MSC Lirica, which seems to have originated in an empty lifeboat on deck six, was reported to the emergency services earlier today in Corfu where the ship is currently in warm layup.

“No injuries were reported among the 51 crew who were on board the ship at the time of the incident.

“A full incident response operation is currently underway with the support of the local emergency services.”

No passengers were onboard the ship at the time.

Though MSC Cruises is currently operating some holidays in the Mediterranean, the MSC Lirica was not in service when the fire broke out.

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Video footage of the fire showed flames coming out the side of the liner.

According to reports, the blaze broke out at around 3:30pm local time on Friday (1:30pm UK time).

Cruise Industry News reports the fire was “somewhat under control” by 4:30pm with fire fighting boats on the scene.

The MSC Lirica has been docked at the port for the last two weeks.

While MSC Cruises returned to sailing towards the end of summer 2020, UK guests have not yet been welcomed back.

MSC Grandiosa is already back and sea in the Mediterranean.

MSC Seaside are is due to join the Mediterranean itinerary with seven-night cruises starting from May 1.

The cruise line warns: “At this present time and until further notice, our two ships sailings will only welcome guests who are residents in Schengen countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland) and in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania.”

However, they are hopeful UK residents will soon be welcomed back onboard.

An updated statement on the MSC Cruises website reads: “Following the UK Government’s briefing on the nations’ roadmap to recovery in which they outlined international travel restrictions will not ease before May 17, MSC Cruises UK and Ireland has taken the decision to cancel the majority of our sailings until May 31 2021, for our UK and Irish guests only.

“A report is expected from the Global Travel Taskforce on April 12 and we hope that this report will further support our optimistic outlook for Summer 2021 but in the meantime, we must ensure we study the new framework and to ensure our guests can have a seamless return to holidaying with MSC Cruises.”

Customers who are impacted by cancellations will be offered a Future Cruise Credit voucher worth 125 percent of the amount paid.

Alternatively, they can request a full refund worth 100 percent of the amount paid.

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I live on a cruise ship — these are my monthly expenses

Ever thought about leaving it all behind and living on a cruise ship?

Well 48-year-old Kevin Martin from Missouri did just that, and he’s shared a breakdown of his costs each month – as well as the good, bad, and the ugly when it comes to living on a ship.

The ex-military man and former lawyer decided to ditch the grind in 2019 and begin documenting his travels on YouTube . His latest videos have seen him spending an entire year living on cruises.

Having sailed with MSC, NCL, Princess and Royal Caribbean cruises, he’s been sharing just how ‘affordable’ it is to travel the world by breaking down his monthly expenses.

For example, during the month of March 2024, Kevin sailed to St Kitts, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Grand Cayman and Aruba, to name a few.

For the entire month on the ship, he spent a total of £1,615. To break it down, £1,080 of this was used on his accommodation and the inclusive buffet dinners on board the vessel.

In that time, he spent just £22 extra on meals that weren’t included in the above package.

He was savvy when he booked cruises, using deals, and he received on board credit to spend too, because he’s a veteran and he bought credit for future cruises.

Kevin’s other expenses included his phone bill, which is £85, insurance at £42 and health care, which costs him £19 per month.

He spent an entire year living this way and said he would absolutely do it again, but would this time only spend a month to three months on board. He’d also change up the ship he was on for different scenery.

‘About a month on a ship is the sweet spot, maybe a little bit more – 45 days or six weeks or so,’ Kevin adds.

What Kevin spent in a month

In total, Kevin spent £1,615 in a month. He broke down a few of his costs, which included:

• Accommodation & inclusive meals – £1,080
• Extra food – £22
• Phone – £85
• Insurance – £42
• Healthcare – £19

‘I plan on integrating cruising into my travel plans in the future… I hate flights. I loved my year on cruise ships,’ he said.

He explained that if he had to do it again, he would vary the itinerary a bit more and see different places.

The behaviour on cruises was also amusing to Kevin, so if you’re planning on living on a cruise for a while, you need to brace yourself.

‘I saw a guy at the buffet taking shrimp – not fried shrimp, those peeled shrimp, frozen and you dip them in cocktail sauce,’ he says.

‘I saw a guy taking handfuls of those shrimp and putting them in the pockets of his cargo shorts. His pockets were bulging with these shrimp, then he left the buffet. I thought that was hilarious.’

He said that every now and then he would hear his neighbours in cabins next to his, but not often and it didn’t seem to bother him.

‘The only thing I hear is when people walk by my state room and they’ve been drinking at night and they’re talking really loud. That’s the only thing I really hear in my room,’ he explains.

The YouTuber’s favourite cruise he lived on was the Fire and Ice cruise, which went from Fort Lauderdale in Florida to Halifax, Canada. He also visited Icelandic destinations too.

If you’re looking to cruise for a year like Kevin, he has a couple of tips…

Firstly, make sure the cruise line you pick makes it easy for you to do laundry. You want self service laundry on board, rather than having to pay lots to send it out.

Next, look at the rewards programmes for the cruise lines, to make sure the perks like discounted wifi and free drinks suits you.

Bon voyage!

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Get in touch by emailing [email protected] .

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

I live on a cruise ship — these are my monthly expenses

Share this with

Ever thought about leaving it all behind and living on a cruise ship?

Well 48-year-old Kevin Martin from Missouri did just that, and he’s shared a breakdown of his costs each month – as well as the good, bad, and the ugly when it comes to living on a ship.

The ex-military man and former lawyer decided to ditch the grind in 2019 and begin documenting his travels on YouTube . His latest videos have seen him spending an entire year living on cruises.

Having sailed with MSC, NCL, Princess and Royal Caribbean cruises, he’s been sharing just how ‘affordable’ it is to travel the world by breaking down his monthly expenses.

For example, during the month of March 2024, Kevin sailed to St Kitts, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Grand Cayman and Aruba, to name a few.

For the entire month on the ship, he spent a total of £1,615. To break it down, £1,080 of this was used on his accommodation and the inclusive buffet dinners on board the vessel.

In that time, he spent just £22 extra on meals that weren’t included in the above package.

He was savvy when he booked cruises, using deals, and he received on board credit to spend too, because he’s a veteran and he bought credit for future cruises.

Kevin’s other expenses included his phone bill, which is £85, insurance at £42 and health care, which costs him £19 per month.

He spent an entire year living this way and said he would absolutely do it again, but would this time only spend a month to three months on board. He’d also change up the ship he was on for different scenery.

‘About a month on a ship is the sweet spot, maybe a little bit more – 45 days or six weeks or so,’ Kevin adds.

What Kevin spent in a month

In total, Kevin spent £1,615 in a month. He broke down a few of his costs, which included:

• Accommodation & inclusive meals – £1,080
• Extra food – £22
• Phone – £85
• Insurance – £42
• Healthcare – £19

‘I plan on integrating cruising into my travel plans in the future… I hate flights. I loved my year on cruise ships,’ he said.

He explained that if he had to do it again, he would vary the itinerary a bit more and see different places.

The behaviour on cruises was also amusing to Kevin, so if you’re planning on living on a cruise for a while, you need to brace yourself.

‘I saw a guy at the buffet taking shrimp – not fried shrimp, those peeled shrimp, frozen and you dip them in cocktail sauce,’ he says.

‘I saw a guy taking handfuls of those shrimp and putting them in the pockets of his cargo shorts. His pockets were bulging with these shrimp, then he left the buffet. I thought that was hilarious.’

He said that every now and then he would hear his neighbours in cabins next to his, but not often and it didn’t seem to bother him.

‘The only thing I hear is when people walk by my state room and they’ve been drinking at night and they’re talking really loud. That’s the only thing I really hear in my room,’ he explains.

The YouTuber’s favourite cruise he lived on was the Fire and Ice cruise, which went from Fort Lauderdale in Florida to Halifax, Canada. He also visited Icelandic destinations too.

If you’re looking to cruise for a year like Kevin, he has a couple of tips…

Firstly, make sure the cruise line you pick makes it easy for you to do laundry. You want self service laundry on board, rather than having to pay lots to send it out.

Next, look at the rewards programmes for the cruise lines, to make sure the perks like discounted wifi and free drinks suits you.

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Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Lincoln Feast.

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Lisa Baertlein covers the movement of goods around the world, with emphasis on ocean transport and last-mile delivery. In her free time, you'll find her sailing, painting or exploring state and national parks.

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