Cruise ship erupts into flames sparking mass evacuation as passengers flee
A cruise ship has been forced to evacuate over 100 people after a huge fire erupted at a port in France.
The blaze broke out aboard a ship in the port of Honfleur in Normandy last night.
The ship was carrying 132 passengers, with 163 people on board in total.
The fire began in the galley at around 3:30am local time, according to local media.
The ship was travelling on the Seine River between Paris and Normandy.
Fire crews were still on the scene at 11am local time this morning.
An investigation into what caused the fire is now underway.
French, Belgians, Australians, and German nationals were aboard the ship at the time of evacuation.
The evacuated passengers were taken to the nearby town hall for shelter.
More than 70 rescue workers were on-site overnight to tackle the flames, as well as municipal services, national and local police, firefighters and the Calvados prefecture.
The cruise ship operator, CroisiEurope, confirmed that the fire started in the galley of the ship.
France3, a local media outlet, read a statement from the operator, which read: "In accordance with the safety protocol, the passengers and crew have been evacuated and are safe."
The message also read: "Customers will be repatriated home as soon as possible and will be accommodated in hotels in the meantime."
The fire comes just hours after a plane crash in Tomblaine killed 11 people.
The plane was carrying a group of skydivers, with five students alongside five instructors, local officials have confirmed.
The plane was carrying a group of skydivers, with five students alongside five instructors.
The pilot of the aircraft was also killed in the crash.
No one on the ground was hurt when the plane crashed in the morning on Sunday.
French media reported the plane that crashed as a Pilatus, which was registered in Germany.