fish processing vessel in the Uk

fish processing vessel in the Uk ; A fish processing vessel being towed off the coast of Cornwall is still on fire – six days after the blaze broke out. The Athena was carrying over 350,000 cardboard boxes as well as heavy fuel oil and other flammable substances, officials revealed yesterday.

Flames tore through it's processing area and 98 of the 111-strong crew were rescued by a passing container ship and are being looked after in Falmouth. The blaze was a major headache for Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service, with 12 firefighters forced to abandon ship on Thursday night after breathing in deadly carbon monoxide fumes and ammonia gas.

o-one was hurt in the fire, which is believed to have started in a store. The Faroes-registered Athena caught fire about 230 miles (370km) south west of the Isles of Scilly.

It is being towed by a Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) tug, the Anglian Earl, five miles off of Falmouth.

Five members of Dutch salvage firm Smit are on board containing the blaze with fire retardant foam and will then assess whether it is safe to bring the ship in to berth at the port. Mark Clarke of the MCA said the current situation was "the least worst option."

"Salvage contractors are onboard the vessel but the fire is still going," he said. "These things can carry on for a long time because of the area involved and the cargo. "We have to make sure the Athena is stable before she comes in to the port. The risk of doing that has so far been deemed greater than leaving her in the current situation. "There is heavy and medium fuel oil in the bunker tanks but they are thankfully not on fire." The male and female crew included Chinese, Russians, Peruvians and Scandinavians.