28 Crew Members Evacuated From Burning Ship In English Channel

An international rescue operation was carried out after a fire broke out on board the roll-on/roll-off container vessel (Con-ro), Grande Brasile, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

The ship, operated by the Grimaldi Group and registered in Malta, was sailing in the English Channel about 15 miles (25 kilometres) off the coast of Ramsgate, England when it issued a Mayday call at around 9:35 a.m.

The crew initially managed to contain the fire using onboard suppression measures, but later, at 4:25 p.m., another fire was reported.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) coordinated a multinational rescue operation with assistance from Dutch, French, and Belgian authorities.

The Dutch Coast Guard reported that one of its aircraft, which had taken off from Schiphol, was the first on the scene and provided the British Coast Guard with information and imagery.

The HM Coast Guard deployed a helicopter, a fixed-wing aircraft and lifeboats from Dover and Ramsgate. A Belgian Coast Guard helicopter also participated in the operation.

By 10 p.m., the 28-member crew evacuated onto the ship’s lifeboat about 12 nautical miles off Ramsgate, where they were picked up by a tugboat assisting with the operation.

The crew w…

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