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| Stricken carrier heads to Belgium | Stricken carrier heads to Belgium |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| A 55,000-tonne car transporter which lost power in gales off Cornwall is heading towards a Belgian port. | A 55,000-tonne car transporter which lost power in gales off Cornwall is heading towards a Belgian port. |
| The Figaro had been floating in a gale without power five miles from the Wolf Rock lighthouse near the Cornish coast with 30 crew on board. | The Figaro had been floating in a gale without power five miles from the Wolf Rock lighthouse near the Cornish coast with 30 crew on board. |
| The ship's fire extinguishers had been set off by a huge wave and all power on board was automatically closed down, said the owners. | The ship's fire extinguishers had been set off by a huge wave and all power on board was automatically closed down, said the owners. |
| The engines were restarted and it is now heading for repairs at Zeebrugge. | The engines were restarted and it is now heading for repairs at Zeebrugge. |
| Tow line | Tow line |
| The ship sent out a distress call on Thursday afternoon after it lost power when the fire systems were triggered. | The ship sent out a distress call on Thursday afternoon after it lost power when the fire systems were triggered. |
| Cecilia Kolga, head of corporate communications for the ship's owners, Wallenius Lines, based in Sweden, said: "As far as I know, it is bad weather that has caused the problem. | Cecilia Kolga, head of corporate communications for the ship's owners, Wallenius Lines, based in Sweden, said: "As far as I know, it is bad weather that has caused the problem. |
| "I think they hit a wave so hard that the CO2 system was released in the engine room, which caused the engines to stop." | "I think they hit a wave so hard that the CO2 system was released in the engine room, which caused the engines to stop." |
| Coastguards said it was unable to drop anchor because all power had been lost to the capstans which operate the release mechanism. | Coastguards said it was unable to drop anchor because all power had been lost to the capstans which operate the release mechanism. |
| A Coastguard tug earlier attached a tow line to the ship only for the two vessels to become separated. | A Coastguard tug earlier attached a tow line to the ship only for the two vessels to become separated. |
| The crew later restarted her engine and steered the boat, carrying about 2,500 cars, to the coast at Falmouth Bay. | The crew later restarted her engine and steered the boat, carrying about 2,500 cars, to the coast at Falmouth Bay. |
| But the harbourmaster was concerned about the safety of a large number of other boats sheltering in Falmouth if the Figaro had been allowed to enter. | But the harbourmaster was concerned about the safety of a large number of other boats sheltering in Falmouth if the Figaro had been allowed to enter. |
| That led to a decision on Friday morning to take her to Zeebrugge for repairs to the self-activating fire system. | That led to a decision on Friday morning to take her to Zeebrugge for repairs to the self-activating fire system. |
| A Coastguard spokesman said the bay was "chock-a-block" overnight with boats sheltering from the weather and it would have been too dangerous to attach the Figaro to a buoy in darkness. | A Coastguard spokesman said the bay was "chock-a-block" overnight with boats sheltering from the weather and it would have been too dangerous to attach the Figaro to a buoy in darkness. |
| The Figaro was bound from Santander, in northern Spain, to Bristol, when she got into trouble. | The Figaro was bound from Santander, in northern Spain, to Bristol, when she got into trouble. |