Fire on ferry - Mallorca-Odyssey ends for passengers after five days
Five days after a ferry en route to Mallorca caught fire, the drama for many travelers was soon over. Those among the overall 350 passengers who had transported vehicles on board were now finally getting them back. The unloading of the vehicles will be "completed soon", said the spokesperson of the responsible Italian shipping company GNV in response to a query.
The car ferry "Tenacia" caught fire in the night on Monday on its way from Valencia to Mallorca. The fire broke out in the engine room. There were no injuries reported. However, many passengers, including several truck drivers who were professionally on the road, never reached the Spanish holiday island.
Concerns of Mallorca holidaymakers about cars
The passengers were taken back to Valencia on Monday because the stricken vessel, with cars and luggage still on board, was towed there. It was unclear how many of the affected people were still waiting there for their belongings. Some had not wanted to wait and had flown to Mallorca on their own, while others had cancelled their holidays, according to the newspaper "Última Hora" and other media.
Lately, passengers were doubting whether they would get their cars and trucks back in good condition. They feared damages from firefighting efforts. A video shared by the fire department on social media showed burned trucks. According to GNV, the vehicles should be in good condition.
The reason for the fire remains unknown. At the time, there were 350 passengers, 61 crew members, and four pets on board. The ship sailed north of Ibiza for hours before the captain gave the evacuation order in the afternoon on Monday. According to the captain, there was never a significant risk to the passengers.
The stranded passengers who explicitly brought cars on the "Tenacia" ship were eagerly awaiting the company's promise for an automatic unloading process, as stated by the GNV spokesperson. Despite the concerns raised by some, the responsible shipping company assured that the vehicles should be unscathed after the Mallorca-bound ferry fire incident.
