Stena Line: Fire onboard Cairnryan to Belfast ferry

The Stena Line Superfast VIII ship is docked in Belfast following the incident

Coastguard and lifeboat teams were tasked to a fire onboard a Stena Line ferry sailing from Cairnryan to Belfast.

A small fire broke out in the engine room of the Superfast VIII on Monday at about 21:00 BST.

Stena Line says the fire has now been extinguished.

The vessel was due to arrive in Belfast at about 21:45 local time. It arrived with the coastguard and tugs standing by at 22:16.

Passengers safely disembarked the ferry and there are no reports of any injuries.

Lifeboats from Bangor, Donaghadee and Larne were tasked to deal with the incident.

Coastguard rescue teams from Bangor, Portaferry, Larne and Portmuck also attended.

Passengers onboard had been advised to congregate in designated areas after the alarm was raised, when the ferry was in Belfast Lough.

Speaking to BBC News NI, passenger Chris Clotworthy said he was travelling home to Northern Ireland from Glasgow, where he had been for his daughter's graduation.

He said at about 21:00 BST some code words were relayed over the intercom to the crew members onboard.

"Obviously, all sorts of things went through one's mind," he said.

"The boat did a complete 180 degree turn and looked to be heading back to Scotland, this was when it was level with Blackhead (in County Antrim). It then did another complete 180 and stopped."

Mr Clotworthy said the atmosphere onboard was "relatively calm".