Kavaratti: A ship with over 322 passengers and 85 crew on Wednesday was stranded in the high seas 16 nautical miles from here after its engine caught fire. The vessel was sailing to Androth Island, a part of the Lakshadweep archipelago, officials sources said.

All the passengers and crew are safe and another ship has been sent to tow the stranded vessel to Androth, the sources said.

MV Kavaratti had left for Lakshadweep from Kochi on Tuesday and offloaded some passengers. Then, the shop was on its way to Androth and other islands of the archipelago on Wednesday when the incident occurred.

While it was a few hours away from Androth, the ship's engine caught fire, sources said and added that though the flames were extinguished promptly, it could not sail further.

Subsequently, another ship -- MV Corals -- was dispatched to tow the stranded vessel to Androth from where the passengers going to the islands would be ferried there in smaller boats, sources said. PTI