G.bellini Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

On March 6, 2017, at 8:58 a.m., a fire erupted in the engine room of the ferry "Giovanni Bellini" while navigating the waters off Piombino. The vessel, carrying 75 passengers, was traveling from Piombino to Rio Marina when a malfunction occurred midway; one of the diesel generators began to smoke and subsequently caught fire. The incident unfolded amidst challenging conditions, with strong Scirocco winds reaching speeds of 60 km/h coming from the west. In response to the emergency, the Coast Guard swiftly deployed patrol boats "CP 892", "CP 2117", and "CP 553" to provide assistance to the distressed ferry. Firefighters from Piombino also promptly arrived on the scene via a lifeboat. While passengers gathered on the deck for safety, the crew effectively utilized the CO2 firefighting system to combat the blaze. Although they successfully extinguished the fire, the ferry suffered significant damage, leaving its propulsion system inoperable. The vessel anchored off Palmaiola, situated between Piombino and Elba, while tugs "Algerina Neri" and "Tito Neri" were dispatched to tow the "Giovanni Bellini" back to Piombino, accompanied by the Coast Guard patrol boats from Portoferraio. The ferry was finally docked at 12:15 p.m., allowing for the safe disembarkation of all passengers, none of whom reported injuries. As a precaution, an ambulance was present at the quay to ensure the passengers' well-being. For further details, an Italian news report including photographs can be found here: http://www.tenews.it/giornale/2017/03/06/arrivato-a-piombino-alle-12-15-il-traghetto-giovanni-bellini-69038/