A cruise ship, travelling between Phuket and Phi Phi Islands, caught fire as it was docking at a wharf on Phuket Island this morning (Sunday). No injuries were reported.
The incident took place at about 7.30am on board the “Sea Angel Beyond” as it was docking at the Sen Angel wharf in Khlong Tha Chine in Ratsada sub-district. There were no passengers on board at the time. The crew managed to navigate the vessel away from the wharf, to prevent the fire from spreading to other vessels.
Firemen easily managed to extinguish the fire, using water and chemical foam, because it had not spread to the engine room. The vessel did, however, sustained heavy damage, estimated at several million baht.
It is thought that the blaze might have been caused by a short circuit on the bridge of the vessel, as the vessel was being connected to the main electrical supply on the wharf.
The cruise ship is about 49 metres long and has the capacity to accommodate 490 passengers and 29 crew.
An investigation is under way.
