Panic gripped 152 passengers aboard the Tirrenia ferry Raffaele Rubattino after an engine room fire erupted while the vessel sailed northwest of Capri, approximately 15 miles from Naples. The blaze, swiftly contained by the 72 crew members, caused significant alarm but no injuries. However, the engines failed, leaving the ship adrift.
Two Naples-based tugboats responded, securing the ferry for a tow to port without necessitating passenger evacuation. Departing Palermo earlier with passengers and vehicles, the vessel arrived in Naples several hours behind schedule, allowing passengers to disembark. Firefighters will board before docking to inspect the engine room. The ferry currently lies eight miles offshore, with arrival expected late evening.
The ship’s captain issued a radio alert, triggering a coordinated rescue effort by Naples Harbour Command. Two patrol boats and the GNV Auriga ferry – also en route from Palermo – rushed to assist the drifting vessel.
This incident echoes recent maritime emergencies. On June 3rd, an MSC cruise ship arrived 12 hours late in Genoa following a technical fault and smoke in its engine room near Capraia Island, requiring passenger evacuation and a tug assist without injuries. A far deadlier precedent occurred on February 18, 2022, when a fire aboard the Grimaldi Lines ro-ro ferry Euroferry Olympia, sailing from Igoumenitsa to Brindisi near Corfu, claimed six lives after flames engulfed vehicle decks.