# Breaking News - Calypso Fire



## Richard Green (Apr 9, 2006)

Just heard 06.30 CET on French radio that the Calypso, cruise liner? is on fire off SE coast of England with 700? aboard. Haven't been able to find any confirmation......


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## Richard Green (Apr 9, 2006)

News confirmed here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4979538.stm. - 462 passengers and 256 crew. Fire started in engineroom.


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## Allan James (Jun 13, 2005)

ITV news cofirmed engine room fire and passengers ordered to lifeboats (?) Fire extinguished and inspection to be carried out to see if she is able to return to port under her own steam. They said Tilbury.

Regards

Allan


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## Paul UK (Jun 13, 2005)

Bit more 7 lifeboats ordered to scene and RAF involved acording to news report.

Paul


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## Paul UK (Jun 13, 2005)

Also she is off Beachy Head .


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## Richard Green (Apr 9, 2006)

3 SNSM - French equivalent of RNLI - units are on their way...


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

She is coming into Southampton under tow I understand by Anglia Monarch. I may go over to see her. There are three cruise ships in today, Oceana, Legend of the Seas, and Sea Princess. Calypso was sailing from Tilbury to St Peter Port Guernsey. David


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Radio Solent is saying she could come into Southampton. Calypso is 11,162 gt. If she comes into Southampton while I am over there, I will post some pictures on the site. David


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## Paul UK (Jun 13, 2005)

Seems all ok now thankfully Tanker has a recent picture in his Gallery of Calypso.

Paul


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

David,

I hope you get a chance to get some photographs later today. In the meantime, have a look at these urls. 

http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=199592&NewsAreaID=2

http://www.dolphin-hellas.gr/Cruises/Louis-cruises/Ships/cruise-vessel-Calypso.htm


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Just heard that Calypso in definitely coming into Southampton to access damage. Local coastguard just been speaking to Radio Solent. David


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Have just posted pictures of Calypso being towed up Southampton Water. Sorry for poor quaility and spelling mistake of the tug towing her, but I am desperately tired and hungry. 

I have been over Southampton all day waiting for her staying at the Red Funnel terminal in case she went down the the western docks. What a place Red Funnel and Ocean Terminal is. The cafe has very limted food, which costs an arm and a leg. So I had nothing to eat all day not wanting to go into town unless I missed her. A person told me she was waiting off Ryde waiting for the three cruise ships to leave who all left at 1700, Sea Princess, Legend of the Seas, and Oceana. So I to decide catch the 1900 ferry back to Cowes hoping we would pass her up Southampton Water because the weather was closing in fast. Luckily, I just managed to see her through the pouring rain and fog. I am now very VERY tired, and off to bed having done what I set out to achieve to put her pictures on the site when learning she was to be towed into Southampton. But I won't go without my usual afternoon nap every day. So if another ship catches fire, and comes to Southampton, I may give it a miss for a day or two?!!. David


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## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

*Thanks to All*

It is nice to be kept up to date by members od SN as opposed to worlsd News > I would not have known about this except by SN . Keep up the good work ! .
Derek


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## flyer682 (Nov 20, 2004)

Living on the other side of the world and being kept up to date by members-on-the-scene, has been great. Learnt and seen more from SN than we have from news bulletins.
Great stuff guys. (Applause)


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

I know it's old news now but these are the Press Notices which followed on from message #10 in this thread. 

http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=199600&NewsAreaID=2

http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=199612&NewsAreaID=2


.... and well done David for your efforts yesterday! (Applause) It's good to see that everything went smoothly with no injuries sustained by crew or passengers.


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## david (Oct 14, 2004)

Yea David,
Congrats from Downunder...
Hell would have frozen before we got news of anything like this in the Oz print media.
Regards 
David D.


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

The BBC's version of events with some comments from passengers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4979538.stm


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## Keltic Star (Jan 21, 2006)

David:
Thanks for going beyond the call of duty to get accurate info and pic's to the SN readership. First news we got in Canada was at 0900 on our TV stations mentioning that an "English" cruise ship had caught fire. Of course our well educated, super jock journalists don't know the difference between England and the English Channel. I immediately checked the SN postings to get the true story.
Hope you finally got a decent meal and a good kip.
Bob


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Many thanks for above comments, and comments on the pictures I took. Yes, I did get a quick bite to eat Bob before hitting the sack!. But I was determined to get those pictures which is why I stuck around all day dodging the heavy showers, and trying to find out where she was. A chap who works on the Netley ferry was in contact with his mate who was tuned into VTS. Like a fool, I did not take my own scanner. But at 1730ish when all three cruise ships had gone, this chap told me that she was west of Ryde inbound and ETA at Dock Head was 1930. So I knew that if I caught the 1900 Red Funnel car ferry we should meet her in Southampton Water. We passed her around Fawley, but the weather was closing in fast. I tried to get behind a baulkhead to shelter from the rain, but it was touch and go if the fog would clear enough to see her, but there was just enough visibility and my waiting was not in vain!!.

Will keep you updated on her progress because Radio Solent is very good at getting up to date information now that she is on their patch. David


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

*The Calyso in Southampton*

Good work indeed David.!...you poor, but dedicated fellow.!

The Claypso is shown at present on berths 38 / 39 and a planned movement to berth 102 is booked for sometime tomorrow morning.

For people interested in Southampton movements, the port has an excellent website - 

www.southamptonvts.co.uk

As well as giving detailed movements reports, there is also a radar map on it, where you can track ships.

From Guernsey The Calypso was due to sail to Invergordon (12th), Stornaway (13th), Tobermory (14th), Dublin (15th), Scilly Isles (16th) and Guernsey on the 17th, then back to Tilbury.

Cheers,

Rushie


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Radio Solent is saying this morning that Calypso could be repaired in Southampton. A passenger on board said how calm everybody was and how quickly and professionally crew mustered passengers to lifeboats. Being close to the shore, emergency services and other ships were quickly on the scene. So the entire operation worked very well. David


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

Industry newspapers for today say that she will be repaired in Southampton and is expected to be in port for approx 15 days.

Gives you plenty of time to get some kip, have some solid meals and plan your next venture out to photograph her Pompeyfan..!!

Good luck.!

Rushie.


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Will be back over as soon as I can Rushie, but it may not been for a couple of weeks if she is still there. It's the cup final this weekend in your neck of the woods. David


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

After the demise of the mighty Walsall....I think I'd rather go and watch ships...!!

Can you give me some details of the Bilbao bun fight please..? I can't commit anything, due to work ties, but may be able to sort something out myself at a later date and hopefully scramble on board and have a few beers with the happy travellers.

Many thanks,

Rushie,


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## Peter Fielding (Jul 20, 2005)

Any details yet on the cause of the fire, or extent of damage?


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

Nothing official on either as yet Peter.

Rushie


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## Engine? (May 9, 2006)

Hello everyone!

I was wondering who is to blame in these kind of situations?
I mean is it the owner, or official authorities, or classification societes?
Because, if you look at the do***entation concerning inspections of this ship, it is really frightening that they can go on sailing even though there has been serious problems for a long time. Exept when the ship has been inspected in Greece. (Well of course, the owner of the ship is from there)
But anyway, if the officials doesn't do anything else than inspect and nothing after that, are they responsible?
This time nobody died or injured?, luckily, but when you think that same kind of an engineroomfire caused the disaster between SaudiArabia and Egypt just months ago, one starts to think!!!
There is a lot of rules and regulations which are aimed to prevent a fire in the engineroom, but how can these ferries just go on making business even when they dont really play by the rules?
Wondering?

Well here are the links to the websites where you can check the do***entation of inspections:
http://www.equasis.org/ 
http://www.parismou.org/


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

*Calypso - seems no one wants to take responsibility*

Press release 11 May - 

_Two separate inspections of the cruiseship that caught fire in the Channel last weekend revealed multiple fire, safety and structural problems in the 10 days before the incident.

Neither the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency nor its Spanish counterpart acted to detain the vessel as they were satisfied the problems had been put right.

Shipping industry sources yesterday expressed concern that the MCA had bowed to commercial pressure to be more ‘customer-friendly’, so compromising its safety watchdog role.

But an MCA spokesman countered: “We would never dream of allowing a passengership to sail with the deficiencies that were found.

“But we are satisfied they were put right.”

The starboard engine of Calypso — registered in Cyprus and operated by Louis Cruise Lines — caught fire in the early hours of Saturday.

At one stage, 700 crew and passengers stood on deck in lifejackets, awaiting orders to abandon ship.

Although evacuation proved unnecessary, the incident required the response of several fire brigades, the Royal Air Force, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the MCA’s coastguard operation. The ship was towed back to Southampton, with nobody hurt as a result.

Lloyd’s List has seen summary reports of two inspections. The MCA yesterday refused a request to release full versions immediately.

The first inspection was carried out jointly by the MCA and the Direccion General de la Marina Mercante in Seville on April 26 and 27, at the owner’s request.

It found a total of 30 deficiencies, four of them under the heading of fire safety measures.

These included fire prevention structure, fixed fire extinguishing installations, means of control in machinery spaces and the catch-all item “other”.

An alarming eight items were raised under the heading of structural safety. “Engineroom cleanliness” was also an issue.

This may prove significant for the casualty investigation, as dirty enginerooms are often a factor in engine fires.

Another inspection, solely by the MCA, took place in Tilbury last Friday — the day before the ship departed — and discovered 13 deficiencies.

Four were listed under fire safety measures, including fire doors, fire prevention structure, fire dampers and “other (fire safety)”. “ISM [International Safety Management code] related deficiencies, maintenance of the ship and equipment” was also given.

MCA director of operations Alan Fairney said that the Seville inspection was of “some concern” to the agency.

But the decision on detention rested with Direccion General de la Marina Mercante.

The deficiencies that were found in Tilbury were not judged to warrant detention.

A spokesman for Louis said all major deficiencies had been before the ship’s arrival in the UK, with the engineroom washed down and painted.

“By the time the ship got to Tilbury, it was a very different ship inside than it was in Seville,” he added._

Not my fault Guv...honest....

Rushie


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## Engine? (May 9, 2006)

*So it goes*

That is exactly what I mean.
No one is to blame.(a song made by Howard Jones)

Lets be serious...
This is something what happens quite often.
My opinion on this is that they should really force these kind of ship owners to take care of these problems right away when they notice it.
Most of the ship owners are responsible enough to take care of these things before there are some problems and I think it is a bit unfair that they have to compete against others who just dont care.


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

Seems ludicrous to me that any vessel carrying 700 people is allowed to leave a port when authorities have identified "4 fire safety related deficiencies".

Rushie


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