Fire on Cruise Ship in Honfleur: 163 Evacuated, No Injuries Reported
A fire broke out in the early hours of Monday, June 29, 2026, aboard the MS Botticelli, a river cruise ship docked in the port of Honfleur, Calvados, France. All 132 passengers and 31 crew members — 163 people in total — were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported, according to RTBF.
The Incident
The fire started in the ship’s kitchen during the early hours of the morning while the vessel was moored at Quai Tostain in Honfleur’s eastern basin. The MS Botticelli, a 110-meter-long river cruise ship operated by CroisiEurope, was midway through a week-long round-trip Seine cruise between Paris and the Normandy coast, scheduled from June 25 to July 2.
Thick smoke quickly filled the vessel, triggering alarms and a swift evacuation. As actu.fr / Le Pays d’Auge reported, passengers were initially taken to the Salle Carnot before being relocated to the Salle des fêtes du Poudreux due to the heavy smoke.
Passenger Accounts
Denis, a Belgian passenger from Liège, described the evacuation to RTL Info: “We got up to see what was happening and at that moment the staff were going around the cabins telling us to get out. We had to go fast so some came out without slippers… Everything went very calmly. Which in my opinion is why there were no injuries.”
Xavier, a Spanish tourist, told France 3 Normandie: “We heard an alarm and people talking loudly. Then someone knocked on the door and we went out.”
Emergency Response
Approximately 90 firefighters were mobilized, including two specialized ship firefighting teams (IBN), one of which was dispatched from a neighboring department. The blaze was contained by late morning, though the vessel sustained significant damage. Firefighters remained on site for surveillance throughout the day.
Nicolas Pubreuil, the Mayor of Honfleur, who arrived at the scene in the early hours, praised the response: “I am delighted there were no injuries. We were on site at 4 AM. The situation was under control. The crew had organized things very well. The passengers were calm, but they were a bit cold.”
Passenger Welfare and Repatriation
The passengers — a multinational group including French, Belgian (approximately 40 from Liège), Spanish, German, and Australian nationals — were provided with food, drinks, and shelter by the municipality. CroisiEurope arranged hotel accommodation and began repatriation efforts.
In a statement reported by France 3 Normandie, CroisiEurope confirmed: “In accordance with safety protocol, passengers and crew were evacuated and are safe. Clients will be repatriated as quickly as possible and will be housed in hotels in the meantime.” By late morning, passengers were allowed to retrieve their luggage.
Investigation and Context
The precise cause of the fire remains under investigation, though authorities have confirmed it originated in the ship’s kitchen — a common origin point for maritime fires. The MS Botticelli, fully refurbished in 2016, has a capacity of 145 passengers across 73 cabins on two decks.
The incident occurred during a period of extreme weather across Western Europe, with a heatwave followed by violent storms stretching emergency services in the region. The successful evacuation, conducted calmly and without panic, has been widely credited to effective crew training and emergency protocols, as noted by RTL Info.
What’s Next
Authorities will continue investigating the cause of the kitchen fire, while CroisiEurope assesses the full extent of damage to the MS Botticelli. The company has not yet indicated whether the vessel will be repaired or written off. Passengers affected by the interrupted cruise are expected to receive compensation arrangements from the operator in the coming days.
Image: Passengers retrieving their luggage after the fire on the MS Botticelli in Honfleur. Credit: France Télévisions