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A cruise ship carrying more than 200 passengers caught fire on the River Nile in Egypt. The vessel Iberotel Crown Empress left Luxor on Monday, October 27, for a 12-day voyage, and on the first day of its voyage, the disaster struck. In videos that have surfaced on social media, the ship was seen fully engulfed in flames, with fire bursting through its windows as it travelled between the cities of Luxor and Edfu, Egypt. According to reports, the fire broke out in the evening of Tuesday, October 28, and it rapidly spread across the vessel. It is believed to have started in the ship’s galley, though the exact location and cause remain unclear. Thankfully, no deaths or injuries have been reported after the incident. An investigation is currently underway to determine what exactly triggered the fire, which destroyed parts of the ship, including an entire hall and several cabins. Crew Members Helped Passengers With Evacuation Upon realising the ship was on fire, crew members quickly moved passengers to the upper deck before rescuers arrived. The Crown Empress was later docked at an unscheduled docking point mid-journey. All the passengers were safely rescued. “At 6:30 p.m., other boats shone flashlights toward our cabins. When we opened the window, we saw a huge plume of smoke on deck,” a passenger aboard the cruise ship told VRT News. Passenger Says Evacuation Was “Pure Chaos” The passenger described the evacuation as “difficult” as the entire ground floor was engulfed in fire. He further shared, “The gangway to go ashore was too small. And the fire had also broken out on the ground floor, where the gangway is located. So, it was very difficult to evacuate via that route. It was pure chaos. People didn’t know what to do.” While some people were rescued through the gangway, others couldn’t even leave their cabins and were later rescued by two small boats. A massive fire All the passengers were forced to flee without their belongings. “I suspect the ship has been completely gutted. We had to leave our luggage behind, so we are left with nothing,” the passenger said, adding that he isn’t quite sure if there were any casualties. He also mentioned that the fire probably broke out in the kitchen while the crew was eating. Authorities and cruise operators have launched a review of the incident and are expected to re-evaluate safety measures on other Nile cruise ships. As of now, the Iberotel Crown Empress has been temporarily taken out of service until the investigation is over.
