Passengers of luxury cruise stranded in Sandakan

A luxury cruise ship, Azamara Quest cruise caught fire in the engine room and left stranded more than a day off southern Phillipines coast, arrived in Sandakan port around 8.30pm last night.

The 11 decks cruise ship, which had 600 passengers on-board with 400 crew members were escorted by the Malaysian patrol vessels.

According to reporters on the scene, few ambulances had sent the injured crews to the hospital earlier.

Some lorries were also seen moving in and out of the port, carrying the passengers baggage to the hotel.

The first coach loaded with the passengers emerged from the port compound around 11.45pm, followed by another coach at 11.50pm.

The passengers of the cruise ship have been temporarily housed at the Pavillion Hotel and Sabah Hotel in Sandakan.

According to some passengers, the company has promised to refund them. They were also given USD150 per night.

Many of the passengers are Americans, Australians and West Europeans. They were on board for a 17-night Southeast Asian voyage that began in Hong Kong last week.

Chief executive Larry Pimentel will meet the passengers and crew on Monday.

Azamara Club Cruises, owned by world’s No.2 cruise operator Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.