While in Glacier Bay National Park on June 5, 2023 at 7:23 a.m. a fire broke out in the engine room aboard the Wilderness Discoverer.
Wilderness Discoverer is a small expedition ship that is owned and operated by UnCruise Adventures. She holds 76 guests who regularly explore the Alaskan Fjords and Glaciers including Glacier Bay National Park.
After being alerted by the United States Coast Guard, Princess Cruises Gem Class cruise ship, Sapphire Princess, was able to rescue 51 passengers and 16 crew members onboard. Fortunately no one was injured.
A press release form Princess Cruises read, “Sapphire Princess dispatched a water shuttle to transfer all 51 of the passengers and 16 crew from the Wilderness Discoverer to the Princess ship. We are pleased to report there are no injuries and that our crew aboard Sapphire Princess are feeding and taking great care of these passengers.”
While UnCruise Adventures Owner & CEO, Captain Dan Blanchard reported, “We are relieved to confirm that there have been no injuries resulting from the fire. Our highly trained crew promptly extinguished the fire using established emergency protocols, and CO2 was successfully deployed for everyone’s safety.”
The cause of the engine room fire is unknown and under investigation. Ten crew members remain onboard the ship. UnCruise Adventures is making every effort to accommodate the passengers that were aboard Wilderness Discoverer including full refunds and providing hotels and flights back home.
“Our priority is to ensure the safety of all affected guests during this transition,” the company said. “Every effort is being made to minimize any inconvenience caused by the incident. The cruise line will be providing full refunds to all passengers affected by the incident and providing hotels and flights home for those affected. Our commitment to our guests’ satisfaction remains unwavering, and our crew is working with guests and authorities to ensure expedited care.”
Meanwhile, Sapphire Princess is still on schedule and expected to arrive in Whittier, Alaska tomorrow, June 7, 2023.