March 15, 2017 - 1:39 PM
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The U.S. Coast Guard is launching a formal investigation into a fire aboard a ferry last year that forced the evacuation of 511 passengers and crew members about a mile off Puerto Rico's coast.
The agency said Wednesday that this month's hearing will analyze what caused the fire and the ship's evacuation procedure, among other things. It said the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board will be part of the hearing but will issue its own findings.
The fire occurred in August aboard a 561-foot (171-meter) ferry called Caribbean Fantasy that made trips between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic several times a week. Many of those aboard required medical care but there were no fatalities or serious injuries.
American Cruise Ferries operated the Panamanian-flagged ship built in 1989.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017