You may have read or seen pictures of the fire that broke out in the Maldives on the Emperor Explorer liveaboard on 9 May. My partner and I were on it as part of a group of 25. Like many members, we’ve been lucky enough to have been on lots of liveaboards.
During the pre-departure safety briefing we were given the usual advice: under no circumstances, if fire broke out, were we to return to our cabins to collect stuff. Head immediately to the muster station by the dive platform; put together a grab bag in case of emergencies: passport, phone, medication. All sensible stuff. Heard it all before.
After 6 days of diving, relaxed and happy, we returned to the harbour at Hulhumale around midday. Moored up, the usual ritual of gear washing and packing. We were to disembark at 7am next morning. At about 4.30pm we assembled on the sundeck for the classic group photo. A few of our group of 25 then left on the vessel's dhoni for a shore visit.
A few minutes later, enjoying the view from the sundeck, we heard the fire alarm. False alarm obviously but we began to make our way slowly to the rear of the sundeck and down the stairs. Laughing and joking. There was a smell of smoke and burning. Odd.
Down another flight of stairs to the muster station to see several of the crew with fire extinguishers. So there was a fire. It didn’t seem a big deal and the crew would soon have it under control, of course. Crew members running past us with more fire extinguishers, a kitchen hand went by with a bucket filled with kitchen scraps - so obviously the fire was not a major issue if the kitchen was still operating.
The scraps went into the ocean, the bucket joined many others being filled with water..... then flames shot out across the dive platform. This was real. Shouts for pumps. Crew running. Guests and crew yelling for neighbouring boats to come and pick up passengers. One dhoni approached cautiously and nudged its bow into our starboard stern. The Cruise Director yelling everyone to get off the boat and on to the dhoni.
It took seconds to vault, leap, jump on board. The dhoni pulled away quickly. Within 2-3 minutes the whole of Emperor Explorer was engulfed in flames. Some of the crew leaped off the bow of the boat into the ocean.
Everyone survived the experience. Not one I’d recommend.
So what is the point of recounting this tale?
Firstly, if you hear the alarm on a liveaboard PLEASE do not be tempted to yawn and turn over. Move. Curse afterwards if it a false alarm. And give thanks.
Secondly, resist the temptation to nip back to your cabin to collect your valuables or that grab bag. I thought about it, saw a bit of smoke in the salon that led to our cabin and decided not to try. I would not have got out. Do not try and get your stuff. Get Out.
Third, on a liveaboard with large amounts of fibreglass, the speed that fire moves is breathtaking. The smoke generated is thick, black and choking. Do not try to go to your cabin to get your stuff. Yeah, I know, I’ve made that point already. From whiffs of smoke to utter conflagration was something like 8 minutes. Fire can rage in places you can’t see.
We lost all our camera gear, all our underwater camera stuff, all our dive gear, passports, iPhones, iPads, chargers, clothes, bags, cash. Everything. If we had returned to our cabin we could have lost our lives.
It took a week to get emergency travel documents and get everyone in the group heading home. The Emperor team in Male were terrific: shoes, clothes, money, food, accommodation, mobile phone and credit were all whistled up. Thanks Ana and Jordy. Impressive performance.
Permit me to make one final point: do not go back to your cabin to get your stuff. Get Out. Don’t ever say you have not been warned.
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