**NEWSFLASH-UPDATE**
(Updates number of passengers, adds deaths, motive?)
Chicago, IL , November 29,1994 -- The cruise ship Achille Lauro, made famous by a 1985 terrorist takeover, is reportedly on fire and probably sinking, off the coast of Northern Africa. A confirmed British Royal Navy reports says that the Italian Registry ship is located approximately 15 miles off the coast of Somalia. According to the BBC World Service, the ship caught fire early this morning and as many as 900 passengers have been evacuated into life boats at the time of this report. British Coast Guard officials say that the ship is listing and taking on water, and that the crew has remained in an effort to fight a raging fire.
Although details are sketchy at this time, there are three reported deaths, and eight reported injuries and fears that some passengers may still be missing. The actual cause of the fire has not been determined, but speculation says that sabotage can't be ruled out at this time. Ships from several different nations are reportedly on the scene of the disaster or enroute to it.
A major rescue effort is believed being mounted by both helicopters and ships. Italian authorities, monitoring the situation, report that the Panamanian Oil ship Hawaiian King has plucked more than 400 people from the water, and that another ship has recovered another 200 people. As many as 200 others remain to be rescued. Two American Navy ships, including the Missile Frigates Gettysburg and Halyburton, are enroute to the scene, but had to travel 350 nautical miles to assist in the rescue. Several other commercial shipping craft are said to have picked people up from lifeboats.
Earlier reports said that the fire had been brought under control, but the latest radio traffic from the incident area says that a U.S. Navy pilot overflying the scene has said that the entire aft of the ship is completely engulfed in flames. Some crew members may have remained on board to fight the fire, but various confusing reports have said that everyone was evacuated from the stricken vessel earlier this morning. One unconfirmed report says that the ship is listing 40 degrees and that it is in imminent anger of sinking.
ENN is monitoring this still developing story and will provide additional details as they become available.
(c) Emergencynet NEWS Service, 1994
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