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| Costa Allegra gets emergency supplies | Costa Allegra gets emergency supplies |
| (about 21 hours later) | |
| Helicopters ferried food and flashlights to more than 1,000 passengers and crew stuck aboard a cruise ship disabled by fire, as it was towed on Tuesday, to the Seychelles Islands. | Helicopters ferried food and flashlights to more than 1,000 passengers and crew stuck aboard a cruise ship disabled by fire, as it was towed on Tuesday, to the Seychelles Islands. |
| Cruise ship company officials said the Costa Allegra, a ship from the same fleet as the Costa Concordia, which capsized off the coast of Italy last month, could reach the main Seychelles island of Mahe by late Wednesday or early Thursday, depending on sea conditions. | |
| The Costa Allegra has 636 passengers and 413 crew members on board, including 212 Italians, 31 Britons and eight US passengers. Four of the passengers are children aged three or younger. | The Costa Allegra has 636 passengers and 413 crew members on board, including 212 Italians, 31 Britons and eight US passengers. Four of the passengers are children aged three or younger. |
| Among the Britons on board was Rebecca Thomas, 23, a dancer whose brother, James, 19, survived the capsizing of the Concordia. Their mother, Jayne Thomas, told the BBC: "I thought it was a one-off and we wouldn't be going through this experience again. I really didn't think disaster could strike twice. Of all the ships that are sailing in the ocean, the two that have come into difficulties in the last few weeks have been the two that my children were on." | Among the Britons on board was Rebecca Thomas, 23, a dancer whose brother, James, 19, survived the capsizing of the Concordia. Their mother, Jayne Thomas, told the BBC: "I thought it was a one-off and we wouldn't be going through this experience again. I really didn't think disaster could strike twice. Of all the ships that are sailing in the ocean, the two that have come into difficulties in the last few weeks have been the two that my children were on." |
| She was waiting to hear from her daughter, who joined the Costa Allegra in May, she said. | She was waiting to hear from her daughter, who joined the Costa Allegra in May, she said. |
| The helicopters also took telephones, because the electrical outage disabled the ship's non-emergency phones. | The helicopters also took telephones, because the electrical outage disabled the ship's non-emergency phones. |
| Cruise ship officials had said that they would be taking the stranded travellers to Desroches, a small, exclusive coral-lined island in the Seychelles. However, they said on Tuesday that they would instead bring them to Mahe. Two tug boats have joined a French fishing vessel to tow the cruise ship, which is being escorted by the Seychelles coast guard ship "Andromache" and an air force plane. | Cruise ship officials had said that they would be taking the stranded travellers to Desroches, a small, exclusive coral-lined island in the Seychelles. However, they said on Tuesday that they would instead bring them to Mahe. Two tug boats have joined a French fishing vessel to tow the cruise ship, which is being escorted by the Seychelles coast guard ship "Andromache" and an air force plane. |
| No one was injured in the fire Monday, but the blaze cast the cruise liner adrift at sea. Both ships are operated by Costa Crociere SpA, which is owned by the Florida-based Carnival Corp. | No one was injured in the fire Monday, but the blaze cast the cruise liner adrift at sea. Both ships are operated by Costa Crociere SpA, which is owned by the Florida-based Carnival Corp. |
| The Costa Allegra is adrift "and being pushed by the current. It is stable and upright," Giorgio Moretti, the director of nautical operations for Costa Crociere SpA, told reporters in a conference call late on Monday from company headquarters in Genoa, Italy. | The Costa Allegra is adrift "and being pushed by the current. It is stable and upright," Giorgio Moretti, the director of nautical operations for Costa Crociere SpA, told reporters in a conference call late on Monday from company headquarters in Genoa, Italy. |
| "It's a big ship and to tow it, to move it across the waters, is a heavy task," said Seychelles presidential spokeswoman Srdjana Janosevic. She said that everything is calm on board the cruise ship and that no one is hurt. | "It's a big ship and to tow it, to move it across the waters, is a heavy task," said Seychelles presidential spokeswoman Srdjana Janosevic. She said that everything is calm on board the cruise ship and that no one is hurt. |
| Italian coast guard officials said emergency generators were keeping the ship's control room illuminated and communications equipment such as radios running. | Italian coast guard officials said emergency generators were keeping the ship's control room illuminated and communications equipment such as radios running. |
| The Allegra, which means "merry," or "happy," had left northern Madagascar, off Africa's southeast coast, on Saturday and was cruising toward Port Victoria when the fire erupted. Costa said the Allegra had been due in Port Victoria on Tuesday. | The Allegra, which means "merry," or "happy," had left northern Madagascar, off Africa's southeast coast, on Saturday and was cruising toward Port Victoria when the fire erupted. Costa said the Allegra had been due in Port Victoria on Tuesday. |
| The general region where the cruise ship was adrift – off the coast of Tanzania – has seen a rash of attacks by Somali pirates. In 2009, an Italian cruise ship with 1,500 people aboard fended off a pirate attack in the Indian Ocean far off the coast of Somalia. | The general region where the cruise ship was adrift – off the coast of Tanzania – has seen a rash of attacks by Somali pirates. In 2009, an Italian cruise ship with 1,500 people aboard fended off a pirate attack in the Indian Ocean far off the coast of Somalia. |
| Moretti said an armed nine-member Italian military team on anti-pirate duty was aboard the Allegra, but he insisted the maritime region where the ship was now "isn't a high risk area for pirates." | Moretti said an armed nine-member Italian military team on anti-pirate duty was aboard the Allegra, but he insisted the maritime region where the ship was now "isn't a high risk area for pirates." |
| "If pirates attack, the armed guards on board will respond. But as far as I am aware, no pirates have been sighted in the area," said Janosevic. | "If pirates attack, the armed guards on board will respond. But as far as I am aware, no pirates have been sighted in the area," said Janosevic. |
| Moretti said 15 Costa engineers, technicians and other officials were flying to Mahe in hope of reaching the Allegra by air to repair its failed generators. | Moretti said 15 Costa engineers, technicians and other officials were flying to Mahe in hope of reaching the Allegra by air to repair its failed generators. |
| • This article was amended on 29 February 2012. The original said: "Cruise ship company officials said the Costa Allegra, the sister ship of the Costa Concordia, which capsized off the coast of Italy last month, could reach the main Seychelles island of Mahe by late Wednesday or early Thursday, depending on sea conditions." This has been corrected. |