157 rescued from burning ferry off coast of Mallorca

A total of 157 people were evacuated from a ferry crossing between the Spanish island of Mallorca and the Spanish city of Valencia on Tuesday afternoon after the ferry caught fire 18 miles off the southwest coast of the island.

The ferry Sorrento, which is owned by the Transmediterranea-Acciona line, had sailed form Palma, Mallorca at around midday, but according to the Ministry of Public Works it radioed the Maritime Rescue services based in Palma for assistance at 1:50 p.m. local time (1150 GMT) advising of a fire on board.

Given the difficulty of controlling the flames the captain of the Sorrento decided that all of the passengers and crew should be evacuated from the ferry in life-rafts.

This operation was successfully carried out, although three crew members had to be lifted off the Sorrento by a Maritime Rescue Services helicopter which had been dispatched from Palma.

Those who had taken to the life-rafts are now safely on board the ferry Puglia de Balearia, which was in the area at the time and which turned around in order to help take the evacuated passengers and crew of the Sorrento on board.

Those rescued have now been taken back to Palma.

Maritime Rescue Services mobilized four rescue boats as well as three helicopters to help with the operation.

There are no reports of serious injuries and although one person has been taken to hospital in Palma suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of the fumes, they are reported to not be in a serious condition. Enditem