Cruise ship in distress off the coast of Ponza: 8,500 people on board, cruise passengers: "We found out about it on social media."

Rescue operations are underway for the MSC Cruises ship "World Europa" : the vessel stopped approximately eight nautical miles off the island of Ponza . There are 8,585 passengers and crew on board. Two Coast Guard patrol boats have been dispatched from Ponza and Naples. The vessel will be taken to Naples , where it is expected to arrive late this night. According to reports, the towing operation could last eight to nine hours.

The ship is a flagship of the MSC fleet. It carries nearly 6,500 passengers and over 2,000 crew members. The propellers stopped after the vessel left the island of Ponza behind. Weather and sea conditions are currently unproblematic, and services remain operational on board. Two tugboats have departed from the ports of Gioia Tauro and Naples, and a helicopter is monitoring the rescue operations from above. Specialized company technicians will also reach the ship to carry out checks and resolve the problem.

According to information released by the Coast Guard, the vessel reported experiencing electrical problems with its engines at 7:25 a.m. Monday morning. The ship was sailing from Genoa to Naples. The Coast Guard itself reported that passengers on board were safe and the situation was under control. "Weather and sea conditions are favorable, and essential passenger services continue to be provided by the onboard generators ."

Some cruise passengers, on dedicated social media pages, wrote that they learned of the damage from the news . Others are waiting to embark from the port of Naples. The Coast Guard's Maritime Rescue Center in Civitavecchia is constantly monitoring the situation through its maritime traffic monitoring systems, maintaining direct contact with the ship and the owner. The crews finally managed to restart the ship, which is slowly but autonomously heading toward Naples.

FROM

Web Editorial Staff