Status: 08/29/2022 9:25 p.m
After the fire on the Swedish ferry “Stena Scandica”, the situation developed more dramatically than initially expected: the ferry drifted towards the coast, 70 people were to be brought to safety.
The car ferry “Stena Scandica” off the Swedish coast is now to be partially evacuated after a fire in the afternoon. A spokeswoman said the fire caused a power outage. The ferry is now slowly drifting towards the island of Gotland in strong winds off the Swedish coast.
Now the emergency services are working against the clock: According to their calculations, tugboats will only reach the ferry a few minutes before it will run aground. That’s why the decision was made to evacuate, the spokeswoman said. Attempts are being made to disembark families with children and the elderly, initially around 70 people. Because of the strong wind, they have to be flown out by helicopter.
A tug to bring the ship to the port of Nynäshamn south of Stockholm is on its way. “Hopefully he will be there in time. But there is a small risk that the ferry will run aground before then,” said the spokeswoman. 299 people are on the ferry, of which 241 are passengers, the shipping authority wrote in a press release.
Fire on the car deck
A fire broke out in a refrigerated container on the car deck of the passenger ferry in the afternoon. However, the crew was able to extinguish the fire. There were no reports of injuries. In the event of an evacuation, pilot boats and helicopters were sent in the direction of the ferry. After the fire, it was initially said that the situation was under control.
The ferry was near the small Swedish island of Gotska Sandön when the fire broke out. She was on her way from Ventspils in Latvia to Nynäshamn.