A ferry carried 236 passengers safely to the German port city of Kiel Saturday morning after their original ferry caught fire while out on the Baltic Sea, reported officials.
The Lithuanian passenger and car ferry Lisco Gloria was en route from the German city of Kiel to Klaipeda in Lithuania when an explosion occurred on the ferry's upper deck around midnight, Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said.
Earlier reports said that more than 300 people had been on board the ferry. Officials said that about 20 people had sustained light injuries from smoke inhalation during the fire and were receiving treatment in Kiel.
At least one person had to be transferred to the rescue ship, Deutschland, on a stretcher, according to Kiel's maritime police department. Several were taken directly by German and Danish naval helicopters directly to hospitals, reported the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service.
'These people are very exhausted,' said Uwe Marxen, shift commander with the Kiel police. 'They have a couple of rough hours behind them.'
Most passengers were from Russia or the Baltics.
The passengers arrived around 6 am (0400 GMT). The Deutschland had already set sail from Kiel after discharging the rescued passengers.
Nearby ships immediately responded to the ferry's distress call.
Firefighters as well as rescue and salvage vessels are on site to stop the fire. The cause of the explosion was still unclear, officials said.