Crew member dies after fire on cruise ship en route to Singapore; all 271 passengers evacuated

[SINGAPORE] An Indonesian crew member died and four passengers were taken to hospital after a fire broke out on a cruise ship en route to Singapore early on Friday (Feb 20).

Of the 271 passengers on board, 139 are Singaporeans, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) in a statement at about 11.50 am. In an earlier press statement at about 8.40 am, it had said there were 224 passengers on board, of whom 185 are Singaporeans, based on preliminary information provided at the time.

All passengers were safely evacuated, MPA said in an update at about 1.10 pm. The fire happened at the lounge area on deck nine of the World Legacy at about 4 am and was extinguished by the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF) marine firefighters.

Passengers who required medical attention were attended to by paramedics. Four passengers were taken to hospital for further medical assessment.

MPA had earlier said that MPA patrol craft, the Police Coast Guard and SCDF’s Marine Division were attending to the vessel, which is anchored at Raffles Reserved Anchorage. According to an MPA map online, the anchorage is located between Pulau Senang and Pulau Semakau.

The fire was put under control shortly after, MPA said. There were 388 crew members on board the Liberia-registered vessel, none of whom are Singaporeans.

Classification society surveyors engaged by the vessel’s owners will board the ship to assess the extent of the damage and the repairs to be carried out before returning the ship to service.

A “core” crew will remain on the vessel to conduct safety checks and carry out essential vessel operations, support investigations, and ensure the safe management of the vessel while at anchor, MPA added.

The remaining crew will disembark progressively, MPA said, adding that it has established a safety zone around the vessel, and is issuing navigational broadcasts to advise passing vessels to keep clear.

The body of the crew member who died has been transferred ashore, and the relevant authorities are handling the follow-up, MPA said. The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore has also been informed.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Travel agency Dragon Cruises, a Singapore-based company that manages local business development for World Cruises, the brand under which the World Legacy vessel is marketed, said it is cooperating fully with the authorities.

“Passenger and crew safety is our top priority,” a spokesperson said in its response to queries from The Straits Times.

It said it will provide updates when available.

In response to ST queries, ferry operator Batam Fast said it was activated by MPA at around 6.30 am to have one ferry on standby for evacuation.

Photos on MPA’s Facebook page show passengers arriving at HarbourFront Ferry Terminal on a Batam Fast ferry.

A passenger, who wanted to be known only as Yang, told Chinese-language Shin Min Daily that he was in the casino when the fire broke out at 4 am.

Yang, who had boarded the cruise at 9 pm on Feb 19 and was scheduled to return at 7 am on Feb 20, said he felt something was amiss when he saw passengers running out of the casino.

As he followed them out, he saw thick smoke billowing from the upper deck of the ship and there was a burning smell in the air.

“Many passengers were frightened and ran out... The scene was noisy and chaotic,” he said.

Another passenger, Hong Wencun, the captain of a Malaysian lion dance troupe on board the cruise, said he heard from other passengers that the fire occurred in a karaoke room on deck nine.

“We were supposed to (go there to) sing later, but fortunately, we didn’t go. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable,” the 23-year-old told Shin Min.

The World Legacy vessel has more than 300 cabins. Unlike typical cruise ships, guests on World Legacy can choose between visiting the cruise for a few hours, and extending their visit to an overnight or three-day, two-night stay.

In a statement on Nov 18, 2025, World Cruises, the banner under which World Legacy sails, described the cruise as “Singapore and Johor’s first true lifestyle playground at sea”, and said it is designed as a “hybrid between a flexible day-cruise destination and a hassle-free multi-night escape”.

People can access the cruise through a “hybrid pickup system”, with multiple daily ferries departing from Singapore Cruise Centre and Puteri Harbour cruise centre in Johor Bahru, it said.

In late December 2025, some would-be holidaymakers were left disappointed when they learnt just days before that the preview voyage of World Legacy would be postponed.

According to a chart on Chinese New Year sailings posted on the World Legacy by World Cruises Facebook page on Feb 11, the sailing on Feb 20 was scheduled to arrive at HarbourFront at 7 am and depart at 10 am. Later in the day, World Legacy was expected to arrive at HarbourFront at 7 pm and depart at 9 pm. THE STRAITS TIMES