A freight-only Ro-Ro vessel operated by Danish shipping company DFDS suffered an onboard fire while off the Isle of Wight in the UK on Monday, February 9.
The UK-flagged Caesarea Trader was en route to Portsmouth after having earlier departed St Helier in Jersey when a blaze ignited in her engine room at around 15:45 local time on Monday.
The crew immediately initiated firefighting efforts and sent out a distress call, which was duly received by HM Coastguard. A coastguard helicopter with thermal imaging sensors and a rescue boat from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) were then deployed to the area to assess the situation.
The fire was brought under control by 22:00. No injuries have been reported among the 24 people on board.
The RNLI boat crew was then ordered to stand down but remained on-scene.
Caesarea Trader has since remained at anchor off the Isle of Wight. The BBC reported that she will be towed to Portsmouth at first light on Tuesday, February 10, for assessment by the local fire and rescue service.
