Maldives liveaboard divers and crew escape blaze

The outsize Maldives dive liveaboard Yasawa Princess was the scene of a “major fire incident” on Christmas Eve however all 25 friends and crew had been reported to have escaped unhurt.

The hearth took maintain of the vessel at about 6pm on 24 December, in line with a press release from Ismail Faisal, managing director of Malé-based operator Deep Blue Dive Centres.

“Immediately upon identifying the incident, the vessel’s crew implemented all required fire-safety and emergency-response protocols,” mentioned Faisal. “All guests and crew-members onboard were safely evacuated, and we confirm that no injuries were sustained.”

At 55m lengthy, the three-deck Yasawa Princess with its 28 cabins meets the definition of a cruise ship fairly than a ship. It operated seven and 14-day central Maldives itineraries. 

The hearth was reported to have damaged out whereas the ship was some 5km off the island of Kudaanbara in Vaavu Atoll, south of Malé. Onboard had been 17 friends together with 12 ladies, nationalities unknown, and eight crew.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and Fire & Rescue Service had been alerted and had managed the firefighting and emergency response on the scene, with the hearth reportedly proving troublesome to extinguish utterly. 

The Maldives Police Service assisted within the evacuation, and an investigation into the circumstances resulting in the blaze was underway.

Damage evaluation

“Regrettably, due to the extent of the damage sustained, the vessel is no longer operational and will not be able to cruise for the current season,” reported Faisal. Further bulletins could be made pending a full evaluation of the injury, he mentioned. “The safety of our guests and crew remains our highest priority.”

The timber-hulled Yasawa Princess was inbuilt Fiji in 1984-85. Deep Blue Dive Centres began working the vessel’s Maldives base in 2008, and 4 years later turned its proprietor.

The most up-to-date earlier Maldives dive liveaboard hearth occurred in November 2024, when Blue Vega suffered an early-morning blaze whereas moored in Hulhumalé lagoon. This prompted intensive injury however no reported casualties.

Another liveaboard, Blue Voyager, had burnt all the way down to the waterline two months earlier whereas present process upkeep work in port, once more with no casualties.