‘Devastating’ fire destroys Princess Marina ferry in Devon

A fire has destroyed the historic Princess Marina ferry, operated by the Starcross to Exmouth Ferry. The fire broke out on Wednesday (27 November 2024), on the River Exe in Devon, UK, shortly before 1pm.

Crews from Dawlish, Exmouth, Newton Abbot, and Middlemoor fire stations were mobilised alongside Exmouth RNLI and HM Coastguard. Exmouth RNLI also launched its relief All-Weather Lifeboat, 13-32 Ruth & David Arthur, with six volunteer crew members on board. RNLI volunteers transported firefighters and their equipment to the scene, where they found the vessel already engulfed in flames.

“Having onboarded the firefighters, the volunteer crew quickly arrived on scene with the vessel, which was already well ablaze, and the onboard fire crew proceeded to control the remaining elements of the fire,” Exmouth RNLI says in a statement. “Luckily, there were no persons onboard at the time of the incident.”

Additional support came from other local vessels, including a vessel operated by Simon Turl Moorings, which helped firefighters to access the blaze. Newton Abbot’s Environmental Protection Unit (EPU) deployed booms around the stricken vessel to contain potential environmental damage, while Urban Search and Rescue teams used drones to survey the area and observe for potential spills.

Despite extensive efforts to save it, the Princess Marina was deemed unsalvageable. The ferry, powered by diesel, was towed to a secure mooring after the fire was extinguished.

Exmouth RNLI praised the coordination of efforts, calling it “a very positive multi-agency response to a challenging incident.” The incident officially ended at 4:10pm, with all crews returning safely.

The Starcross to Exmouth Ferry is a family business established in 1985. The owners shared their grief in a Facebook post, describing the fire as “devastating” and thanking all those involved in controlling the blaze.

“Unfortunately, we’ve heard the horrible news whilst being away that Princess Marina has caught fire,” the post says. “We would just like to thank everyone involved who helped get the fire under control whilst we’re not there. It’s much appreciated in such a devastating time for us.”

The fire is currently believed to have been accidental, although investigations continue.

Exmouth RNLI says: “Although we are glad that no one was injured, it was a very sad day on the river with such a historic vessel being destroyed and the subsequent impacts to this family business.”