August 23, 1999
Web posted at: 11:45 p.m. EDT (0345 GMT)

MARGATE, England (AP) -- A cruise ship carrying more than 2,400 passengers collided with a burning cargo vessel early Tuesday off Britain's southeast coast, officials said.

Three passengers aboard the Norwegian Dream cruise liner suffered minor injuries and were being airlifted from the vessel, said a coast guard spokesman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.

The crash occurred at 1:15 a.m. while the 40-member crew of the Panama-registered cargo ship Ever Decent fought an on-board fire in the English Channel, about 20 miles off the southeast coast, said the spokesman.

The cargo ship then headed for shallow water in an effort to run aground, apparently to make it easier for a rescue and to fight the blaze, the spokesman said.

The cruise ship headed to the port of Dover, about 40 miles away.

A Royal Air Force plane and a coast guard helicopter along with five merchant ships were mounting an effort to rescue the crew members of the freighter. Firefighters were expected to fly out to the vessel to tackle the blaze.

The spokesman said he didn't have any more details on the injuries, the status of either ship, how the collision occurred or the embarkation and destination points of either ship.

Copyright 1999   The Associated Press. All rights reserved.