The captain and crew of the Caribbean Fantasy, a passenger and cargo ferry belonging to America Cruise Ferries, remained on board the vessel despite an active engine room fire, Puerto Rico’s fire chief Angel Crespo said.
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The ship ended up running aground 800 yards off Punta Salinas.
At least four people were reportedly injured Wednesday morning after a fire broke out aboard a ferry boat that was carrying more than 500 passengers off the coast of Puerto Rico.
Crespo said no fatalities had been reported and the 510 passengers and crew were taken off the burning ship and brought ashore. U.S. Coast Guard boats then carried passengers into San Juan’s harbor as helicopters whirred overheard.
No injuries have been reported and no-one is missing, coast guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad said.
Local media reported that the passengers were mostly Dominican nationals, including a large group of students headed to athletic competitions in Puerto Rico. Then they went back for the crew. “I asked, and they told me it was nothing, that it was under control”, the 64-year-old Dominican said.
Anguished relatives, including Hilda Pereira, pushed their way onto the scene.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Maria Prensa was packing her belongings as the Caribbean Fantasy ferry prepared to dock in Puerto Rico after a calm, overnight trip from the Dominican Republic.
Pereira said she was at the beauty salon when her sister called to notify her. I was in my cabin when I started to feel discomfort in my throat, so I went to the reception area, where you could see the smoke, Cesar said.
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Incident PhotosAmerican Cruise Ferry passenger ship Caribbean Fantasy on fire.
