All passengers and crew aboard the Maldives scuba diving liveaboard Yasawa Princess were safely evacuated after a major fire broke out on the vessel on Christmas Eve.
In an official statement issued on 25 December, operator Deep Blue Dive Centers confirmed that the fire occurred at approximately 18:00 on 24 December 2025.
‘At approximately 1800hrs on December 24th, 2025, our vessel Yasawa Princess experienced a major fire incident,’ said Ismail Faisal, managing director of Deep Blue Dive Centres. ‘Immediately upon identifying the incident, the vessel’s crew implemented all required fire-safety and emergency-response protocols.
‘All guests and crew members onboard were safely evacuated, and we confirm that no injuries were sustained.’
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the Maldives Fire and Rescue Service were alerted and assumed responsibility for firefighting and emergency response operations at the scene.
Authorities later confirmed that all 25 people on board, comprising 17 guests and eight crew members, were evacuated without injury.
Built in Fiji in the 1980s, the 55-metre, three-deck Yasawa Princess has been operating in the Maldives under Deep Blue Dive Center’s management – and later ownership – since 2008.
According to MNDF and police reports, the fire broke out while the vessel was operating in Vaavu Atoll, south of Malé. Emergency services described the blaze as difficult to extinguish fully, with response operations continuing after the evacuation was completed.
Deep Blue Dive Centers said the vessel has sustained extensive damage and will not resume operations this season.
‘Regrettably, due to the extent of the damage sustained, the vessel is no longer operational and will not be able to cruise for the current season,’ Faisal said. ‘The safety of our guests and crew remains our highest priority.’
The company said further updates would be issued following a full assessment of the damage and advised that official information on the incident would be provided by the relevant authorities.
The MNDF and Maldives Police Service have confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.
