NewsBreakingOnline

Passengers evacuated to lifeboats as fire breaks out on vessel, which was plying Norway’s coast with 262 people on board Two people have been killed and at least nine injured in a fire on a cruise liner operating on a popular route along Norway’s coast, officials say. Police said they had received information that an additional four people were missing, but could not immediately confirm it. Nine people were taken to the hospital, two with serious burns and smoke injuries. The MS Nordlys, with 262 people on board, was evacuated on Thursday after it caught fire at 9.20am local time before arriving in Alesund, 230 miles north-west of Oslo. More than 100 passengers were evacuated into lifeboats before the ship reached port. The remaining passengers and some crew left the vessel as smoke was still billowing from the burning ship. Hurtigruten ASA, the Norwegian operator of the ship, said eight of its crew were among those sent to hospital. Police said they had sealed off parts of Alesund because of the heavy smoke. The MS Nordlys, travelling north from Bergen, is one of several ships that ply the craggy Norwegian coast on the popular 1,500-mile cruise between the south-western city and Kirkenes, high above the Arctic circle near the Russian border. The line carries tourists eager to see the spectacular western coast and locals from coastal cities and hamlets. Norway Cruises Europe guardian.co.uk