Breaking News
The New Zealand Coastguard evacuated passengers from an Island Direct ferry today, Thursday 23 October, after they were called in when a fire started onboard. Coastguard spokeswoman Kimberley Waters says the Maritime Operations Centre received a mayday call from the ferry through VHF channel six at 3.40pm. The latest information she had, at 4.40pm, was that three Coastguard vessels were on the water, with Coastguard Auckland coordinating the evacuation of 18 passengers and three crew from the ferry. Coastguard Howick and the police vessel Deodar had picked up fire fighter crews and transported them out to the ferry. At this stage, there was no firm information on where the fire was onboard the ferry, Kimberley says.
