Rescue services save 170 from burning ferry

Spanish emergency services safely evacuated around 170 people from a burning ferry crossing the Mediterranean from Mallorca to the port of Valencia, said government and port authorities.

The Sorrento ferry, belonging to the Italian company Atlantica di Navigazione although operated by Trasmediterranea-Acciona, sent out distress signals, the Ministry of Public Works said in a statement.

Spanish newspaper websites showed pictures of the ferry belching out great clouds of black smoke.

Although the captain did not initially want to evacuate the ferry, passengers and crew eventually left the burning vessel in lifeboats, the ministry said.

All of the passengers made it safely into lifeboats and were picked up by another ferry, according to the ministry and port authorities for Spain’s Balearic Islands.

One of the ferry’s five crew members suffered serious injuries and two other crew members had minor injuries, port authorities said in their statement. They were taken to a hospital in a helicopter. The ferry transporting the passengers arrived back in Palma de Mallorca later last night.

The port authority said 170 passengers were rescued. Sea rescue services could not confirm the number.

Acciona could not immediately comment. Atlantica di Navigazione could not be immediately reached for comment. The burnt-out ferry could sink in the position where the rescue was carried out at 56km off the Mallorcan coast, the Balearic Island port authority said.

“Due to the fire that it has suffered, The Sorrento may sink in the position in which it finds themselves,” the Balearic Islands port authority said in a tweet. Investigative sources have said the fire could have started in the engine room or in the vehicle cargo hold which has capacity for 150 vehicles.

Two shipping ferries were nearby when the fire started and helped with the rescue after hearing the distress call. The rapid reaction rescue boat, the Acrux Salvamar, co-ordinated the offshore evacuation.