Passenger vessel engulfed by fire on Volga, all six passengers safe

A passenger vessel caught fire on the Volga River in Russia’s Saratov region, with the blaze almost completely destroying the upper deck, according to the Western Interregional Transport Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee.

According to the department, cited by Russian media, six passengers were on board at the time of the fire. All of them managed to disembark safely, and no injuries were reported.

“A preliminary investigation is being conducted into the incident involving the registered vessel under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code (violation of safety rules for the movement and operation of water transport, resulting in major damage),” the statement said.

The article provides for a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison, along with a possible ban on holding certain positions or engaging in specific activities for up to three years. Investigators are currently assessing the amount of damage and determining the causes of the incident.

The fire on the Volga follows a series of similar maritime accidents in recent weeks. At the end of June, the Russian fishing vessel Dobrynya burned to the ground in the Barents Sea near Cape Syuettienemi. No casualties were reported, as those on board were engaged in recreational crab fishing and managed to escape unharmed.

Earlier this week, the yacht Da Vinci caught fire and sank in the Mediterranean Sea near the Spanish island of Ibiza. Four passengers, two crew members, and the captain were on board; all were evacuated safely.

Prior to that, a fire broke out on a barge used to launch fireworks at the Minato Mirai Smart Festival 2025 in Japan. In a separate incident, a Danish vessel also caught fire off the coast of Liberia.

By Tamilla Hasanova