A tourist liveaboard vessel in the Maldives was destroyed by fire on Saturday, but all passengers and crew were safely evacuated without injury, its operator said.

The 42-metre dive liveaboard, Emperor Explorer, caught fire earlier in the day, according to operator Emperor Group, which said all guests and crew members had been transferred to another vessel in its fleet.

“Our priority is the safety and well-being of everyone on board, and we are profoundly grateful that all guests and crew are safe and well,” Emperor Group Chief Executive Officer Alexander Bryant said in a statement.

The evacuated passengers and crew were moved to the Emperor Serenity, another liveaboard operated by the company.

The cause of the fire, the vessel’s exact location and details surrounding the evacuation were not immediately disclosed.

The Emperor Explorer, built in 2019, accommodated up to 26 guests and typically operated seven-night “Best of Maldives” diving itineraries. The vessel generally carried around 14 crew members, including dive guides and support staff.

The incident comes weeks after Emperor Group launched the larger 44-metre Emperor Explorer II, which is expected to begin operations in the Maldives in August as the fleet’s flagship vessel. Emperor Explorer had already been scheduled to retire from service at the end of May.

An official investigation into the incident is expected. In the Maldives, maritime accidents are typically investigated by the Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard, the country’s maritime rescue and enforcement authority. 

Source: Divernet