A vehicle ferry with 300 passengers on board was on fire off the coast of Sweden on Monday, according to Swedish maritime authorities, and a sizable rescue attempt was in progress.
Swedish Maritime Administration spokesman Jonas Franzen confirmed to AFP that there was a fire on the car deck and that an evacuation of the ship had started. He added that three helicopters and seven vessels had been sent to the situation.
No injuries were immediately reported, and the fire's origin was not yet determined.
The Stena Scandica experienced a fire. In the Baltic Sea, the vehicle ferry is situated off the Swedish coast. There are reportedly 300 passengers on board as of the commencement of the evacuation.
On Monday, a VA auto ferry with about 300 passengers on board caught fire near the southeast Swedish coast. Three helicopters and seven ships were sent to the area, and the ferry's evacuation got under way, said a spokeswoman for the Swedish Maritime Administration. The fire was under control, according to a different representative. At first, no injuries were mentioned.
The ship was therefore north of Gotland, off the island of Gotska Sandön. What started the fire was initially a mystery. The Stena Scandica was discovered off the coast of Sweden's southeast at the island of Gotska Sandon.