Ship Fire Strands 800 In South China Sea

An engine fire immobilized the cruise ship MV Sagafjord in the South China Sea, stranding more than 800 people, the ship’s owner said Tuesday.

The MV Sagafjord was en route to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia from Hong Kong when the fire broke out about 230 miles west of Manila, its London-based owner Cunard Lines Ltd. said.

Cunard said none of the ship’s 492 passengers or crew of 350 was in danger, although the vessel was without main power and it was awaiting a tugboat from Manila to tow it to a Philippine port.

Lt. Cmdr. Feliciano Dy of the Philippine Coast Guard said the passengers include 330 Americans, 66 Britons, 82 Germans, and eight Australians. Most of the crew members are Britons.