Cruise ship Costa Allegra adrift off Seychelles
The Costa Allegra is adrift in the dark more than 200 miles southwest of the Seychelles, near Alphonse Island, BBC News reports.
A French-flagged fishing boat has reached the ship, Italian coastguards told the BBC, and tugs are en route.
The ship is from the same fleet as the Costa Concordia, which capsized off the Italian coast in January, killing 32.
Costa Cruises said in a statement that the fire broke out in a room housing electric generators. It did not spread and there were no injuries or casualties.
Inspections of the state of the engine room are on-going, the company says.
The cruise operator has stressed that the ship is steady and conditions are safe.
It says it is liaising with passengers' families via its emergency contact numbers. Families in the UK can call 020 7940 3300.
Costa Cruises later said that a French-flagged, 295ft (90m) ocean-going fishing ship would be the first to reach the ship.
Commander Cosimo Nicastro of the Italian coast guard later confirmed to the BBC that the fishing vessel had arrived, having made better time than expected.
Costa Cruises said another ship of similar size was sailing toward Costa Allegra and would be joined by two merchant ships and two tugs due to arrive on Tuesday afternoon.
Ship immobilised
The liner sent out a distress signal, Costa Cruises said, and all passengers and crew not involved in fighting the fire assembled at the muster stations.
Most electric lights on board the ship are off as the batteries are being used to keep essential machinery going.
A spokesman for Costa Cruises said the situation on board was calm and the ship was stable.
Captain Giorgio Moretti said a helicopter would bring fresh food to the liner on Tuesday morning, as it is without cooking facilities.
Captain Moretti said it had not been decided whether to try to transfer the passengers to other ships, or leave them on board until it is tugged to shore.
A plane from the Seychelles flew over the cruise ship and confirmed that there was "no danger for the people on board," according to Cmdr Nicastro.
He told the BBC that it took the crew a few hours to extinguish the fire.
For full version http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17183134