Wilderness Discoverer accidents and incidents

05 June 2023Fire Accident

On June 5, 2023, at 7:23 am Alaska time (15:23 UTC), the ship suffered an engine room fire while navigating in Alaska's Glacier Bay NP (close to Composite Island).

The fire was limited to the engine room and no injuries or water pollution were reported.

Wilderness Discoverer was carrying a total of 78 people (51 passengers plus 27 crew) and contacted the USCG Sector Juneau at 7:30 am (3 pm UTC).

The crew promptly extinguished the flames using standard emergency protocols. The local and federal authorities were promptly notified and the USCG coordinated the operation to assist the vessel. The nearby Princess Cruises' ship Sapphire Princess immediately assisted in disembarking all passengers (51 people) and 17 of the crew, while 10 crew members remained on board. All disembarked were transferred (via a lifeboat) to Sapphire Princess.

The fire left the boat adrift and without power. As its communication system also failed, the USCG was contacted through Sapphire Princess. The Princess ship was released by the USCG and left at ~3:15 pm (~23:15 UTC) after all evacuated were transferred to the Glacier Bay-based MS Baranof Wind (1984-built cruise yacht, MMSI 367365630), which transported them to Bartlett Cove Seaplane Base.

The accident occurred during the 7-day "Glacier Bay National Park Adventure Cruise" (itinerary June 4-11, roundtrip from Juneau) with scheduled visits to the Alaskan destinations Icy Strait Point and Neka Bay (Jun 5), Glacier Bay NP (Jun 6-7), Chichagof Island (Jun 8), Stephens Passage/Frederick Sound (Jun 9), and Tracy Arm Fjord and Sawyer Glacier (Jun 10).

However, due to the fire, the voyage was terminated on June 5th and Wilderness Discoverer continued toward Ketchikan (arrived on Jun 7th) for damage assessment and repairs at Vigor Shipyard. The following investigation showed that the source of the fire was the heat produced by the portside diesel engine's exhaust mufflers. Most of the engine room's damages were from the smoke and soot.

As compensation, all passengers on the affected voyage were fully refunded and UnCruise Adventures arranged hotels and flights for their return home. The booked customers on the following (scheduled by canceled) voyages were re-accommodated on a similar boat in the fleet.

The cancellations affected two 7-day "Glacier Bay National Park Adventure Cruise" roundtrips from Juneau, departures June 11th and June 18th.

The boat left Ketchikan on July 22nd and arrived in Seattle WA on July 25th.