Costa Allegra limps to Seychelles

The crippled cruise liner Costa Allegra is being towed towards the Seychelles by a French tuna boat.

A fire in the engine room on Monday knocked out the ship's main power supply, leaving it adrift with more than a thousand people aboard in an area vulnerable to pirate attacks.

The head of the Seychelles Tourism Board confirmed that all arrangements had been made for the cruise ship's arrival.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURISM BOARD CEO ALAIN ST ANGE, SAYING:

"We are happy to report that they will be in port tomorrow morning, we already made arrangements, immigration is on the ship so they can be cleared for immediate landing when they get to port."

The fire on the Costa Allegra had been put out, and none of the 636 passengers or 413 crew were hurt, but there were concerns about the security of the vessel.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURISM BOARD CEO ALAIN ST ANGE, SAYING:

"You could have had an attack from piracy because they come from the other side of the islands which is the African coast, with this nagging you in the back of your mind, it is very insecure for somebody with no way of running away and I think once we said we are covering them with planes with helicopters and ships they felt secure."

The Costa Allegra is owned by Italian company Costa Cruises - itself part of the U.S. cruise line giant Carnival Corp - the same company which owns the fated Costa Concordia cruise liner.

At least 25 people were killed when the Costa Concordia foundered and capsized off the shore of the Tuscan island of Giglio on January 13.

The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, is under house arrest, accused of multiple manslaughter and abandoning ship.

His lawyer said the captain was surprised and disappointed to hear of the latest disaster to hit the Costa Cruises ship, and hinted that this incident could possibly help his client's defence.

(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) CAPTAIN FRANCESCO SCHETTINO'S LAWYER BRUNO LEPORATTI SAYING:

"I think this opens new scenarios that need to be investigated. Obviously, the overall security issues will have to be evaluated, but this does not depend on me."

Costa Cruises and its parent company are facing a raft of civil suits from victims and their families, as well as an official investigation.

Nick Rowlands, Reuters.