A crew member has died and several passengers required medical attention after a fire broke out aboard the cruise ship World Legacy in the early hours of Friday morning while the vessel was approaching Singapore.
According to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the fire originated in a lounge area on deck nine at approximately 4:00 a.m. Singapore time. Emergency response teams, including marine firefighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force, were deployed to the scene and successfully extinguished the blaze.
Passengers onboard the World Legacy were awakened in the early morning hours by emergency alarms and crew instructions as smoke spread through parts of the vessel. Crew members quickly initiated emergency procedures, directing passengers to muster stations where they were instructed to wear life jackets and remain calm while the situation was assessed. Many passengers were temporarily gathered in designated safe areas as firefighting teams worked to contain the blaze. As a precaution, passengers were later evacuated from the ship in an organized operation and transferred ashore, where medical teams conducted health checks and provided assistance to those affected by smoke exposure and the stressful nature of the emergency.
At the time of the incident, the ship was carrying 271 passengers and 388 crew members. All passengers were safely evacuated from the vessel, with evacuation operations conducted in phases and supported by emergency personnel. The first group of evacuees was transferred to HarbourFront Ferry Terminal, while paramedics and emergency medical technicians were on site to provide immediate assistance. Four passengers were transported to hospital for further medical evaluation, while no additional serious injuries among passengers or crew were reported.
One Indonesian crew member lost his life as a result of the incident. The body has since been transferred ashore, and the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore has been notified. Authorities have not disclosed further details regarding the crew member’s role onboard.
Following the fire, the World Legacy was moved to Raffles Reserved Anchorage, located within the Port of Singapore near Pulau Semakau and Pulau Senang. The anchorage area is commonly used for vessel inspections, repairs, and other special operations. A core team of crew members has remained onboard to carry out safety checks and ensure essential systems remain operational, while the remaining crew are being progressively disembarked.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) established a safety zone around the vessel and issued navigational advisories to nearby ships to keep clear of the area during the emergency response.
