Luxor, Egypt—Thick gray smoke poured from the stern of a crowded Nile River passenger ferry on Thursday afternoon. An unexpected mechanical failure in the engine compartment sparked a violent blaze just as the vessel approached the central Luxor docks. Passengers panicked as flames and acrid fumes filled the lower deck, forcing the captain to sound an immediate distress signal.
River police and Coast Guard patrol boats deployed from the municipal pier within minutes, racing across the water to intercept the burning ferry. Officers maneuvered alongside the disabled craft, tossing life rings and shouting instructions to confused commuters. Coast Guard personnel boarded the smoking vessel to assist crew members in ushering frightened passengers onto rescue boats.
Emergency medical teams waited on the stone embankment, treating survivors for acute shock, smoke inhalation, and minor bruises sustained during the rush. Authorities confirmed that all passengers and crew members were safely accounted for with zero critical casualties reported. Fire suppression squads managed to extinguish the engine room flames before the fire could reach the fuel tanks.
"We saw smoke pouring out of the back vents, and then the engine just died in the middle of the river," said a passenger who was standing on the upper deck. "People started screaming and grabbing life jackets. The Coast Guard arrived very fast and pulled us off."
River transport inspectors cordoned off the damaged ferry once it was towed back to the municipal dock for technical assessment. Preliminary investigations indicate that an oil leak made contact with a hot exhaust manifold inside the engine compartment. Navigation authorities temporarily suspended the vessel's operating license pending a comprehensive mechanical safety audit.
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