Eighteen crewmembers of a Belize-flagged general cargo vessel have been evacuated after their ship caught fire off Italy, local authorities informed.
The 8,900 dwt Hala B was anchored near the Port of Chioggia when the fire started in the engine room in the evening hours of February 26, 2016, Guardia Costiera said.
Firefighters were immediately sent to the scene to extinguish the fire with the help of tugs and hydrants, according to Vigili del Fuoco, the country’s agency for fire and rescue service.
At the time of the incident, the 1985-built ship was loaded with a cargo of timber.
No injuries have been reported.
