An Indonesian crew member died today after fire on board cruise ship World Legacy, which rotates between Singapore and Malaysia.
Four passengers were taken to hospital after the incident, which saw all 271 passengers evacuated. World Legacy was crewed by 388 staff.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said today (20 February) that the fire broke out around 4am local time in the lounge on deck nine of the Liberia-flagged World Legacy, which is operated by Singapore-based World Cruises. The latter is a start-up fronted by Turn Capital, a private equity investment vehicle controlled by Internet entrepreneur Joseph Phua, and commenced operations in November 2025.
World Legacy was retrofitted from the 1982-built Moby Zaza, a Moby Lines cruise ferry that was acquired second-hand. World Cruises, whose registered name is Dragon Cruises Pte Ltd, markets the vessel as a “playground at sea” that will be based in the Singapore Strait with passengers coming and going by fast ferries from Singapore and Malaysia.
MPA said the fire was extinguished by the Singapore Civil Defence Force. World Legacy is in a stable condition and is currently anchored at Raffles Reserved Anchorage, located near Pulau Semakau and Pulau Senang. The anchorage is primarily used for special purposes such as vessel repairs and the storage and offloading of vessels.
MPA has set up a safety boundary around World Legacy and is issuing navigational alerts to advise passing vessels to steer clear.
Classification society surveyors engaged by World Cruises will board the ship to assess the extent of damage and the repairs needed before resuming service. World Legacy is classed by Registro Italiano Navale, and its protection and indemnity provider is The American Club.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
MPA said the deceased crew member has been transferred ashore and the Indonesian embassy in Singapore has been informed.
MPA said: “A core crew will remain onboard the vessel to conduct safety checks, carry out essential vessel operations, support investigations, and ensure the safe management of the vessel while at anchor. The rest of the crew will be disembarked progressively.”
