Dublin based operator, Irish Ferries has confirmed that one of its UK-France service ferries had encountered difficulties yesterday (3 March) evening following a small fire that broke out on board at 5.30pm.

The ferry company in a statement said the crew on board the 163m long Isle of Innisfree "were alerted to a small fire in the ship's engine room while the ship was sailing from Dover to Calais".

The 199I built ferry is one of three that Irish Ferries operate on the English Channel and where the 28,838 gross tonnage ferry had departed the port in Kent at 5pm.

The statement added that its crews train regularly to deal with incidents at sea and "the fire has now been extinguished".

At the time of the incident the Cypriot flagged Isle of Innisfree was carrying 94 passengers and 89 crew and that all are safe and accounted for.

The UK coastguard was informed and dispatched three lifeboats as a precautionary measure.

More from RTE News on the ferry that arrived safely into Calais after a tug according to BBC News had towed the ferry into port. 

Afloat adds that while the Isle of Innisfree is off service, the route is reduced from three ferries down to a just a single ship the Isle of Inishmore. This is because Irish Ferries third Dover-Calais vessel, Isle of Inisheer is away for dry-docking at Harland & Wolff, Belfast.

Isle of Innisfree is no stranger to the Strait of Dover having served originally as Prins Philip for Belgium operator, RMT on the Dover-Ostende route.

Since 1992 the ferry has changed ownership several times until the Irish company acquired the ferry from DFDS, a rival on the French route also served by P&O Ferries.