Fire aboard Ponant Le Boreal. Passengers evacuated. No injuries reported.

#expeditioncruising

Reports reaching us from various sources suggest a fire has broken out aboard Ponant's luxury expedition ship, Le Boréal, apparently in the engine room as it approached the Falkland Islands.

Royal Navy helicopter plucks passengers from the deck of Le Boreal

There were no injuries to passengers or crew from the fire, which was "of a technical nature" and has been extinguished, the line says.

View of liferaft from Port Stanley rescue helicopter.
Pilot Scott Robinson lifted 25 persons from this raft.

Rescue crew member, Terry Mooney, comments on Facebook: "a fire in the engine room, everyone evacuated except 11 crew, it is now under tow. 2 RAF and 1 Bristow winching and 2 BIH evacuating the people to MPA. fire and emergency services out assisting with the evacuation of people. busy day."



Ponant says passengers were transferred to sister ship L’Austral,  also was in the region, and are being taken to Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands to be repatriated to their homes. The remainder of the Le Boréal sailing has been cancelled.

Royal Navy River Class Patrol Vessel HMS Clyde, was diverted to assist in the operation (MoD)

The Falkland Islands government later reported that all passengers from the Le Boreal's life rafts had been safely transferred to L'Austral, which was sailing for Stanley. The remaining 78 (mainly crew and 12 pax) who were transferred to land by SAR helicopters have now arrived in Stanley by coach via Mount Pleasant.

Le Boreal is now anchored safely with captain and skeleton crew on board.
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- this report will be updated as news comes to hand