MALAYSIA: A stricken luxury cruise ship under Philippines and U.S. naval escort is sailing towards a Malaysian port in Borneo island where it is expected to dock

Record ID: 862466

  • Title: MALAYSIA: A stricken luxury cruise ship under Philippines and U.S. naval escort is sailing towards a Malaysian port in Borneo island where it is expected to dock
  • Date: 2nd April 2012
  • Summary: SANDAKAN, MALAYSIA (APRIL 1, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS STREET OF SANDAKAN TOWN PEOPLE WALKING IN WATERFRONT AREA MAN ON BOAT VARIOUS OF WATERS, WHERE AZAMARA QUEST WILL SAIL BEFORE ENTERING PORT VESSEL SAILING AT SEA BUILDING BY WATERFRONT JETTY VESSEL SAILING AT SEA VARIOUS OF PORT PORT SIGN READING: "SABAH PORTS SDN. BHD." MALAYSIAN FLAG AND SABAH STATE FLAG VARIOUS OF AMBULANCES AT SANDAKAN GENERAL HOSPITAL WHERE INJURED CREW MEMBERS WILL BE TREATED EXTERIOR OF EMERGENCY WARD EMERGENCY WARD SIGN READING: "EMERGENCY AND TRAUMA DEPARTMENT" PEOPLE SITTING ON HOSPITAL BED IN FRONT OF EMERGENCY WARD VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ENTERING EMERGENCY WARD
  • Embargoed: 17th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Malaysia, Malaysia
  • City:
  • Country: Malaysia
  • Topics: Disasters,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVAA2H9OG3MP6BVPQ9730NA6Y6FD
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: A stricken luxury cruise ship under Philippines and U.S. naval escort will reach a Malaysian port in Borneo island late on Sunday (April 1), Malaysian maritime officials and the ship's owner said.
    The Azamara Quest, carrying 600 passengers who are mostly Westerners and 411 crew, is on its way to Sandakan port at Malaysia's Sabah state after spending more than a day in waters prowled by pirates.
    The 11-deck cruise ship suffered an engine-room fire on Friday (March 30) that disabled the engines and left the ship temporarily stranded off the southern Philippines coast.
    The fire, the latest in a string of cruise ship accidents, was put out on Saturday (March 31) although five crew members suffered from smoke inhalation with one requiring serious medical attention.
    Sailing at between three to six knots per hour, the ship is expected to reach Sandakan port by 8 p.m. local time (1200 GMT).
    Tight security was seen around the cruise port in the second largest city of Sabah state while hospital personnel prepared to receive the five injured crew members.
    No officials were authorized to speak on camera when approached by Reuters TV.
    The Azamara Quest was on a 17-night journey and had departed Hong Kong on Monday (March 26).
    An unidentified official from Borneo Laju, a local agent appointed by Azamara Club Cruises to repair the ship and assist the passengers, said the guests will spend the night on the ship at Sandakan and disembark on Monday (April 2).
    The rest of the cruise, carrying mainly Americans and Western Europeans, has been cancelled, said the Miami-based Azamara Club Cruises.
    The Azamara fire was the latest in a mishaps at sea.
    Thirty-two people died when the Costa Concordia ran aground and capsized off the western coast of Italy in January and a fire on the Costra Allegra left the ship stranded in waters patrolled by pirates in the Indian Ocean for three days in February.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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