Passengers evacuated from ferry inferno off Valencia coast

A FERRY travelling from Mallorca to Valencia has caught fire with 170 passengers on board.

Marine rescue teams were sent on Tuesday afternoon to evacuate the vessel, which had left Palma de Mallorca just before midday.

According to a spokesperson from the marine rescue service, the passengers have been evacuated to a small islet west of Mallorca called Dragonera. In total, more than 150 people were forced to abandon ship.

El Pais newspaper reports that three crew members have been taken to hospital by helicopter suffering from smoke inhalation. But there are no further reports of any injuries at this time.

The ship, named The Sorrento, belongs to the company Acciona Trasmediterránea, and a spokesman from the Balearic Port Authority tweeted earlier: “Due to a fire, the Sorrento may sink in its current location.”