Ex Channel ferry suffers fire - to be scrapped
Turkish roro BOZTEPE to be towed back to Turkey and scrapped

A former Dover-Ostend channel ferry suffered a major fire off the Black Sea port of Sochi on Friday.

All crew and her 12 passengers were safely evacuated but her deck cargo of vehicles was destroyed in the blaze.

It was thought the vessel would have to be sunk, but her owners have said that she is in good enough condition to be towed back to Turkey.

However he said the damage to the vessel was so great she was now 'irreparable' and that on returning to Turkley she would be scrapped.

The BOZTEPE was built in 1978 as the CATHERINE SCHIAFFINO by Tokushima Zosen Sangyo of Japan for Schiaffino Lines.

She became the CAP AFRIQUE in 1990 and last saw service in the Channel when chartered by the farmers' consortium Farmers Ferry Ltd for transport of livestock which drew much interest and infamy from some quarters after the major operators stopped carrying farm animals across the channel.