Fatal Fire Damages Passenger Vessel in Cox’s Bazar

A fire erupted on board the passenger vessel Atlantic Cruise on December 27 while it was berthed at Nuniachhara in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The incident resulted in one fatality.

Local media reported that the fire started at around 6:30 am local time in the engine room before quickly spreading through the vessel, causing extensive damage to large parts of the superstructure. The local fire brigade responded immediately, assisted by the Bangladesh Navy.

Firefighters managed to bring the blaze partially under control. Two Fire Service units, supported by the Coast Guard and volunteer teams from the local administration, continued operations to fully extinguish the fire.

At the time, the vessel was docked at a jetty preparing to embark 194 passengers for a scheduled voyage to Saint Martin. No passengers had boarded the ship, and all remained safe. One crew member was later found deceased. Reports stated that the individual had been asleep in a cabin when the fire began and was unable to escape.

An Atlantic Cruise Company spokesman said the fire was initially believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit. Authorities have launched an investigation to establish the exact cause of the incident.