At around 2245 on the evening of 28th December  a fire broke out in a cabin aboard the Ijmuiden bound DFDS Seaways’ ship King Seaways whilst 30 miles off the Yorkshire coast. The 31,788gt/1987 built ship (formerly Brittany Ferries’ Val de Loire) had 946 passengers and 127 crew aboard at the time.

The alarm was raised with the Humber Coastguard, passengers were sent to Muster Stations but the fire was extinguished in 15 minutes. In response, the Bridlington and Filey RNLI lifeboats were sent to the scene, along with search and rescue helicopters from RAF Leconfield and RAF Boulmer. Six crew members and one passenger (a pregnant woman) were airlifted to Scarborough hospital suffering from what was understood to be the effects of smoke inhalation.

The damage caused was estimated at £800,000 and the ferry returned to Newcastle where two men were arrested: a 26-year-old man on suspicion of arson and a 28-year-old on suspicion of affray. The 26-year-old from Sunderland later appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates Court charged with arson reckless to endangering life and affray.

On 10th January the King Seaways arrived at Gdansk, Poland, for overhaul, with Brittany Ferries’ 35,586gt/2002 built Mont St. Michel arriving there the previous day. The latter’s absence at Portsmouth was covered by the 29,468gt/2009 built Armorique.