Cruise ship catches fire off Greek coast of Corfu (Kerkyra)

A large fire has broken out on an MSC cruise ship docked in Corfu (Kerkyra) Greece on Friday.

The fire started on a fibreglass lifeboat on the MSC Lirica before 3:42 p.m. local time and sent large plumes of smoke billowing into the sky, according to MSC Cruises.

The ship is docked at Corfu’s port for the winter with 51 crew aboard but no passengers.

There were no injuries, according to the cruise line.

It took firefighters about three hours to get the fire under control.

Efforts to extinguish the blaze were declared completed at 6:58 p.m. local time, according to the cruise line.

A preliminary assessment showed damage to the ship’s side but not inside, the MSC spokesperson said.

The Central Port Authority of Corfu, which is conducting the preliminary investigation, prohibited the departure of the “MSC LIRICA” until the presentation of a class and ship worthiness certificate by the classification society that monitors the ship.

The 902-foot-long, 65,591-ton ship has 992 staterooms with a capacity of 2,548 passengers plus 752 staff members, according to MSC Cruises.

Amenities onboard the ship include a spa, theatre, casino and disco.