Dutch-flagged vessel catches fire off Latvia, crew evacuated

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Dutch-flagged container vessel en route from Lithuania to neighboring Latvia caught fire in the Baltic Sea, prompting the 15-strong crew to be evacuated and leaving the vessel to drift in the Gulf of Riga, off the Latvian capital. The JR Shipping company, based in the Dutch port of Harlingen, said in a statement that its container vessel Escape suffered a fire in the engine room and attempts to put out the blaze were unsuccessful. The ship’s master took the decision to evacuate and no one was injured.