A Unified Command was established to Tuesday evening in response to the fire aboard the Spirit of Norfolk and continued firefighting and salvage operations Wednesday.
The Unified Command consists of:
- U.S. Coast Guard
- Naval Station Norfolk
- City Cruises
- Virginia Department of Emergency Management/Department of Environmental Quality
The City of Norfolk, Port of Virginia, and NOAA are supporting the Unified Command.
Crews are continuing firefighting measures to extinguish the fire. Due to ongoing firefighting operations, the vessel is considered too unstable for crews to enter; however, exterior firefighting measures continue. Based on the instability of the ship, salvage contractors are developing a plan to safely enter the ship.
The Spirit of Norfolk caught fire, Tuesday near Naval Station Norfolk. Tugs pushed the vessel to a mooring at the Naval Station to continue firefighting efforts and keep the waterway clear for traffic. The 106 people, which includes passengers and crew members, aboard were safely evacuated.
