By
Michele Witthaus |
Passengers were evacuated after a fire in the engine room of river cruise ship Gerard Schmitter on the evening of 16 June.
The new three-deck ship entered service this year as the flagship of the CroisiEurope fleet and was on a Rhine cruise from Amsterdam to Strasbourg when fire broke out due to a technical malfunction during berthing in Krefeld. The 154 passengers and 34 crew members were evacuated, with two individuals taken to hospital with minor injuries.
According to reports by witnesses, the fire in the wiring of the engine room caused a strong build-up of smoke but once the local fire brigade reached the scene the blaze was quickly extinguished. Passengers were taken into Krefeld by coach but were able to reboard the ship later in the evening. The necessary repairs were scheduled to be completed by 18 June and a police investigation has been launched into the incident.