A turbojet ferryboat en route from Hong Kong to Macau (carrying 239 passengers plus 9 crew) suffered an engine room fire accident at ~10 AM on Thursday, January 18th. The incident occurred at a nautical mile east of the No.2 buoy in Qingzhou Channel (near Macau) as reported by Macao's Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA).
Promptly responding to the detection of the fire, the ferry's crew effectively extinguished the blaze before the DSAMA rescue team arrived. Thanks to their swift action, all individuals on board the "Universal MK 2011," an Austral Catamaran with max capacity of 418 passengers, emerged unharmed.
DSAMA acted swiftly, deploying rescue vessels, initiating an emergency plan, and collaborating with other departments to offer assistance and updates at the terminal. This coordinated effort played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew members.
The distressed ferry was towed to its intended destination, the Taipa Ferry Terminal, by DSAMA. Originally known as "New Ferry LXXXVII," the vessel was delivered in 2008 to the New World First Ferry Services (Macau) before being transferred to Turbojet and receiving its current name, "Universal MK 2011."