UNEASY SAILING

Carnival Cruise Ship Spouts Black Smoke in Second Fire in 2 Years

The same part of the boat erupted in flames in May 2022.

A Carnival cruise ship sent smoke pluming into the air from its exhaust funnel on Saturday afternoon, the vessel’s second fiery blaze in less than two years. The Carnival Freedom was sailing in the Bahamas when reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel, the part of the boat that helps direct exhaust gases away from the ship. “Carnival Freedom reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel,” the cruise line announced on social media. The very same part of the ship caught fire in May 2022 while the boat docked in Turks and Caicos, also sending up clouds of thick black smoke. Carnival said the fire on Saturday was quickly doused by responders, and helped by the captain’s decision to turn the boat toward oncoming rain to help put out the flames. “Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike and that is being investigated,” Carnival added. The fire was not expected to derail the boat’s planned passage for the rest of its voyage.