A fire broke out on the Kempinski Ganna Nile Cruise Ship yesterday, as it sailed from Luxor to Aswan near the port of Edfo. There were 144 passengers on board, 102 Spanish and 42 Italians.
Due to high winds the fire blew
rapidly out of control and the Captain ordered the ship to be evacuated. There were other boats nearby, which enabled most passengers and crew to be off-loaded swiftly and safely. One Spanish passenger has not yet been officially accounted for. The Captain and the crew checked the ship before abandoning it themselves. Two injured passengers have been transferred to a hospital in Luxor for further treatment, a 38-year old Spanish man suffering from burns and a 50-year old Spanish woman with a fractured arm. Nine other passengers suffered minor cuts and burns but they have already been discharged from the local hospital.
The remaining passengers have since been transferred into hotel accommodation and arrangements are being made for them to complete
their holiday in Egypt or to return home.
Kempinski is doing everything possible to support the ship's concessionaire, who is taking care of the displaced passengers and ensuring that family and friends are kept informed about the injured.
The Egyptian-owned ship, leased to an Egyptian concessionaire and marketed by Kempinski was launched late in 2002 as a brand-new build with all the latest fire and safety equipment installed to meet the highest international standards. Although the cause of the fire is not yet confirmed, it is thought that it broke out in a passenger cabin. Evacuation procedures were followed properly and without panic, which prevented any more serious injuries.