Three Injured in Fire on Chinese-Owned Cruise Ship

 

On Wednesday, three crewmembers were injured in a fire aboard a Chinese-owned cruise ship at the South Korean port of Jeju, according to local authorities. 

At about 0830 hours on Wednesday morning, the Korea Coast Guard station at Jeju received a report of smoke emanating from the starboard side of the cruise ship Adora Mediterranea. The vessel had just arrived in port earlier in the morning, and had 3,166 people on board. 

The fire was located in a mechanical space, and it burned through an area of about 500 square feet, including damage to the overhead. Three crewmembers were treated for smoke inhalation, but no passengers were affected. The ship's departure was delayed for an inspection and an investigation into the cause, and passengers received a complimentary extra day's stay in Jeju. 

According to an explanatory letter obtained by cruise media, the fire may have started due to an air conditioning system failure. 

The Mediterranea was given the all-clear for departure and got under way once more on August 15, skipping a call in Fukuoka and heading to her homeport in Tianjin instead. 

Adora Mediterranea was built in 2003 as the Costa Mediterranea, and after a thorough refit for the Chinese market, she began operations for Chinese line Adora Cruises in 2023.