A fire broke out aboard cruise ship MSC Lirica (IMO 9246102) during the afternoon of Thursday March 11th, MSC Cruises has confirmed.
The vessel is currently in warm layup without passengers on the Greek island of Corfu .
The fire was reported at 15:42 local time. It was extinguished just over three hours later by the ship’s two fire brigades and local emergency services teams. There were 51 crew on board at the time, none of whom was injured.
MSC Cruises said the blaze started on a starboard-side fibreglass lifeboat on the ship’s sixth deck. A preliminary assessment had revealed only exterior damage to the vessel, caused by the flames and dense black smoke. A full investigation was underway.
MSC Lirica had been idled because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
2003-built, Panama-flagged, 65,591 gt MSC Lirica is owned by Newco Lirica SA care of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co of Geneva, Switzerland. ISM manager is MSC Cruise Management UK Ltd of Uxbridge, UK. It is entered with West of England Club (Eastern Claims team) on behalf of Newco Lirica SA.
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