Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic promises to be many things when she embarks on her maiden voyage next month. Unfortunately, it appears that someone is trying to ensure that event doesn't occur.
On Sunday, June 6th, the third in a disturbing string of fires broke out aboard the 153,000-ton vessel at the shipyard in France. French newspaper Ouest France stated that on this day, over 17,000 people passed through the ship as part of an event allowing STX Europe employees and their family members to tour the ship. The shipyard, formerly known as Chantiers de l'Atlantique is located in the town of St. Nazaire, France, but many of the crew and contractors aboard don't speak French - a hindrance slowing down the investigation.
French investigators have declared that Sunday's incident is almost certainly deliberate, as it occurred in a machinery space that no one should have had access to, and one which contained no electrical equipment that could have malfunctioned. Damage was minimal, but French authorities have already launched an arson investigation into the incident.
It is the third fire to break out on the ship in just over a month. On May 3rd, a substantial fire broke out on one of the ship's lower decks, causing heavy damage to miles of cabling and wires. The next blaze occurred on May 7th in the area near the waterslides on the upper deck, and while it was less serious than the first, both incidents were already being investigated as possible arson before the incident on Sunday.
Norwegian Epic is due to be handed over to NCL on June 15th - less than one week from today. From there, she will sail to Southampton, England before heading across the Atlantic to New York to ring in Independence Day on July 4th. The line says those plans are still going ahead on-schedule.
Fires aboard under-construction ships are not uncommon, but they are certainly feared. To have three fires occur in just over a month is almost unheard of.
Of course, the internet is rife with discussion - both informed and completely ludicrous - on the matter. Some suggest - darkly - that the fires have been started by a competing line bent on preventing the ship from sailing. While that might make a good plot for a thriller, the suggestion is completely unwarranted and potentially libelous. The number of blogs that are suggesting this irresponsible theory is absolutely mind-boggling. As unique and innovative as some features of this ship are, it's highly unlikely that any line sees this one ship as such a significant threat.
Others are suggesting the ship is cursed. Stories of maritime superstition are as legendary as they are plentiful, and unfortunate events at shipyards are widely considered to be a bad omen. Many publications omit the fact that many maritime superstitions arise from a time when everything was a bad omen.
What is disturbing, however, is if these fires are indeed being started deliberately. For now, we reserve our judgement pending the French investigation, and hope that Norwegian Epic will be handed over to her proud new owners next Tuesday without any further complications.
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