Image Courtesy: Princess Cruises

A crewmember died in an explosion aboard the cruise ship Emerald Princess in the early morning hours on February 9 while the vessel was alongside at Port Chalmers in New Zealand.

The operator of the cruise ship, Sydney-based Princess Cruises, said that the first reports indicate that the incident happened during technical work on the hydraulic launching system on a tender vessel.

“We are working closely with local police and other authorities in assisting in their response and inquiries,” a representative from Princess Cruises said.

There were no further reports of injuries following the explosion.

The company informed that the 2007-built Emerald Princess is currently on a 12-night round trip cruise from Sydney to destinations in New Zealand.

AIS data provided by MarineTraffic shows that the 288-meter-long cruise ship is still moored at New Zealand’s Port Chalmers.