Fire on LISCO GLORIA

Copenhagen, October 10th 2010

At 00.30 hours Saturday, 9 October, we received notification that a fire had broken out on the combined passenger/freight vessel, LISCO GLORIA, while it was en route from Kiel to Klaipeda.

The passengers were evacuated and brought to Kiel, where the German authorities provided medical and psychological care.

Afterwards DFDS provided accommodation and transport mainly by ferry or airplane to Lithuania for the passengers.

Of the 236 passengers, 23 were treated for injuries. One is still in the hospital, but is expected to be able to leave the hospital within few days.

The major part of the passengers was from Lithuania.

The ship is now anchored 3 miles south of Langeland, Denmark. Salvage vessels as well as vessels from the Danish maritime authorities are near the ship in order to be able to react quickly on a possible pollution risk. The situation, however, seems to have stabilized. It is expected that salvage experts will be able to enter the ship on Monday 11 October in order to carry out an inspection of the ship.

The ship is registered in Lithuania and has a Lithuanian crew. The Lithuanian shipping company DFDS Lisco is owned by DFDS.

On the route, the number of departures will be affected. The route is normally serviced by two ships, and therefore there will be no departures on Sunday 10 October, Tuesday 12 October and Thursday 14 October.

We will inform you as soon as we have a replacement vessel ready.

Further information: Vice President Gert Jakobsen, +45 24 40 00 43.

More information is available on the German Police’s website: http://www.presseportal.de/polizeipresse/meldung/1696522