Around 2:30 AM on Monday, July 8, 2024, a fire erupted on the GNV Tenacia ferry approximately 22 miles off the coast of Ibiza. The vessel was en route from Valencia to Palma de Mallorca. Onboard were 350 passengers and 61 crew members. The ferry is currently adrift, and efforts are underway to tow it to safety. The GNV Tenacia, which sails under the Italian flag, was built in 2008 at the Nuovi Cantieri Apuania and joined the GNV fleet in 2020. It has a cargo capacity of about 2,500 linear meters and can carry approximately one thousand passengers.
The fire occurred in the ship's engine room and remained contained, not affecting passenger areas. No injuries have been reported. By early afternoon, the flames were completely extinguished, but the vessel remains unable to navigate independently. The Spanish rescue service, Salvamento Maritimo, along with two tugboats, are on-site and will tow the ship to the port of Valencia. Initially, the ferry Abel Matutes, which was in the vicinity, was alerted to assist with a potential evacuation of the Tenacia, but this was not necessary.