THURGAU GOLD

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Cause of fire unclear

The cause of the fire aboard the 'Thurgau Gold' was still unclar. The source of the fire still needed to be determined by the water police in Germersheim. The was is estimated at around half a million euros. It is still unclear whether the engine needs to be replaced and how badly the electrical cables are burnt. The ship is in the new port in Speyer and will be taken to a shipyard from there. Reports with photos: https://www.travelnews.ch/services/28066-flussschiff-von-thurgau-travel-nach-brand-evakuiert.html https://www.inrlp.de/rlp/rhein-pfalz-kreis/polizeimeldungen/speyer-200-menschen-von-schiff-auf-rhein-evakuiert-dichter-rauch-stieg-in-die-nacht-empor-art-5997134

River cruis ship evacuated afer fire

A fire broke out in the engine room of the 'Thurgau Gold', which was sailing on the Rhine near Speyer on Dec 16, 2024, at around 3.40 a.m. After the smoke development was remarked, ship docked near Speyer in pos. 49° 19' N 008° 27' E,, where the alerted emergency services were already waiting. As the crew had only been able to secure the ship with the bow, fire boats had to assist in berthing it safely. All passengers and crew members were able to leave the ship safely. The fire alarm and emergency systems worked perfectly and enabled the crew to act efficiently and in a coordinated manner. There were a total of 191 people on board, including 149 passengers (among them tour guides) and 42 crew members. The passengers consisted of 135 Swiss and 14 Germans.. They were initially accommodated in a restaurant in Speyer. Thurgau Travel organized the quick journey home with buses that were ready for the return journey at 8:30 a.m. and left with passengers and luggage at around 10 a.m. The fire was under control by 6 a.m. On the foremidday, the fire fighters were still putting out the fire. The fire brigade deployed 101 firefighters. Due to the intense heat, the hull had to be cooled from outside. Thanks to the quick and coordinated deployment of the fire brigade and the water police, the situation was quickly resolved. The cause of the fire was not yet known. The responsible authorities have begun investigating the cause. Thurgau Travel assumed that the engines were damaged, which will require a stay in the shipyard for inspection and repairs. Initially the ship was to be towed to a yard in Speyer for investigations on Dec 17. Whether and how the next departures with the 'Thurgau Gold' can take place is being examined, and the affected passengers will be informed personally. Thurgau Travel is also checking whether a replacement ship can be made available. Report with photo and video: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/ludwigshafen/schiffsbrand-in-speyer-100.html