A large rescue operation is underway off the coast of Sweden near the island of Gotska Sandon in the Baltic Sea after a fire broke out on the car ferry Stena Scandica with 300 people on board.
“There is a fire on the car deck,” Swedish Maritime Administration spokesman Jonas Franzen said as quoted by AFP.
According to officials, the fire is under control. The alarm on board went off shortly before 1pm and the Swedish maritime authorities were immediately activated to start the evacuation operation, according to reports.
The coast guard with the support of other ships are trying to rescue the passengers. The authorities cannot currently calculate how long the evacuation will take.
According to media reports, the ship was on the way from the city of Ventspils in Latvia to Nynashamn, Stockholm County, Sweden.
There are no immediate reports of injuries and the cause of the fire is not yet known.