Cairo/Amman, Nov 3 (IANS) An Egyptian ferry with 1,230 people aboard was ablaze Thursday near the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea, the Nile TV reported.
About 800 passengers have been rescued and more than 400 people are still on the ferry which was headed for the Egyptian port of Nuweiba, Nile TV reported, adding that the fire is under control.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, reported Xinhua.
The ferry, carrying passengers who are mostly Egyptian expatriate workers returning home for Eid festival, caught fire about 15 nautical miles from the Jordanian Red Sea port of Aqaba.
Director General of the Arab Bridge Maritime Company, the owner of the vessel, Hussein So’ub told Jordan’s Petra News Agency by phone that the fire broke out in the luggage storage and no injuries were reported.
Passengers are now being evacuated to another ship of the same company, So’ub said.
The Egyptian navy has sent planes and vessels to rescue the passengers on board, the Nile TV said.
