The 187 meter long, 11300 dwt ro-ro ferry Hafnia Seaways suffered a fire in the passenger section while sailing on the North Sea off Spiekeroog, Germany. The ferry left Immingham, England bound for Cuxhaven, Germany with seven passengers and 20 crew on board. The Hafnia Seaways primarily transports trucks and trailers and can carry a small number of passengers with its 12 cabin spaces. Reports state a fire broke out in the vessel’s sauna and quickly grew out of control. At the same time, the Hafnia Seaways lost power and began to drift in heavy seas of 6 to 7 force winds and 2 meter waves. The crew contacted the Emergency command centre at Cuxhaven. The command centre dispatched the lifeboat along with several other vessels to the scene. A special firefighting team from Brunsbüttel were lowered onto the ferry’s deck by a Naval helicopter. The firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze while the crew was able to restore power. The ferry continued on to Cuxhaven under its own power. Four passengers and two crew were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation. An initial investigation by the water police states the fire started in a heater, but could not state whether it was due to a fault or by arson.
