By Jean Christou
THE LAST flames aboard the gutted cruise ship Romantica were extinguished by yesterday afternoon, police said.
Fire experts boarded the vessel anchored some 200 metres off Limassol port yesterday morning and extinguished several pockets of flame in its interior. Tons of water must now be pumped from the ship.
Police spokesman Stelios Neophytou said investigators should be able to board the Romantica to begin their probe into how the fire started in the engine room on the morning of October 4, forcing the evacuation of some 700 passengers and crew.
In the meantime, he said, statements were still being taken from the Romantica’s 186-member crew.
A round-the-clock operation was mounted to fight the smouldering flames on the Romantica after it was slowly tugged to Limassol port in the early hours of Monday.
The ship had been 60 nautical miles off the south coast when it ran into trouble.
All 673 passengers and crew aboard the Romantica were evacuated on to the Louis-owned Princessa Victoria without any reported injuries.
A statement was issued yesterday by MED Duchess Lines Ltd, the owners of the Romantica, which was operated by New Paradise Tours.
The statement announced “with regret” the “unfortunate accident” to the cruise vessel which was caused by extensive fire.
The company said that at 5.45am the owners received the first message that a fire had broken out in the engine room. “Distress signals were sent out at the same time.”
It said the master and crew then activated the shipboard emergency plan to contain and extinguish the fire but attempts failed.
They then evaluated the situation and decided to evacuate all passengers to the Princessa Victoria which had already answered the distress call. It had been 12 miles behind the Romantica.
“By 7.43am when it was apparent that the fire became uncontrollable the remaining crew members and fire squads were evacuated, the Master, Chief Engineer, staff Captain, staff engineer and Chief Electrician being the last to leave the vessel,” the statement said.
“All efforts were made to obtain assistance from the Cyprus maritime and police authorities, the British bases and a local salvage company”. Help was “readily rendered,” the statement added.
The company said it was too early for a final assessment, but it could already conclude that the evacuation of the passengers was carried out “very professionally and at no time were passengers at risk, nor was there a situation of panic or confusion among the passengers or crew”.
“It goes without saying that such an operation can only succeed when the crew involved are properly trained and the equipment used is fully operational and up to the required safety standards,” the company said.
The Romantica came under heavy fire after passengers’ complaints raised questions about its seaworthiness.
The 58-year old 298-cabin Romantica, built in Hamburg, had only recently been fully refurbished. The ship was insured with Lloyds for $4 million.
During a voyage in August after being revamped, the Romantica’s departure from Piraeus was delayed by a host of shellfish blocking the outlet pipes of the toilets on the lower decks.
