Celebrate: Hundreds Escape Ferry Fire

Eid Mubarak (Arabic: عيد مبارك‎),

Persian/Urdu: عید مُبارک, Malayalam: ഈദ്‌ മുബാറക്‌, Bengali: ঈদ মোবারক)"Bayramınız mübarek olsun" Turky "Bayramınız kutlu olsun", Pashto: Akhtar de nekmregha sha, "may your festival be blessed", "kul 'am wantum bikhair", "[May] you be well every year". Taqabbalallâhu minnâ wa minkum ("[May] God accept from us and you [our fasts and deeds]"

Thursday 3rd November, 2011

Since we often hear such terrible news, we surely need to celebrate the good. In this case, it's fantastic news to hear of so many people and their families with the opportunity to serve humanity a little while longer on this beautiful planet.

Just think of ALL the people who were on that ship and their loved ones/neighbors/communities who will be able to observe with cheer this sacred time of the year! * See more below...

"Pella's passengers were mostly Egyptian expatriate workers returning home for the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, which starts on Sunday.:

Posted from Al Jazeera English 12:30 pm EST (New York Time)

One passenger dies while more than 1,200 reach Egyptian port unharmed on lifeboats after being rescued, officials say.

(So far) almost all of the passengers who were onboard a ferry that caught fire while sailing from the Jordanian port of Aqaba have reached the Egyptian port of Nuweiba unharmed on lifeboats, Egyptian officials say.

One unidentified Jordanian passenger died after jumping into the water in an attempt to escape the fire, while the other more than 1,200 onboard were rescued by authorities, Farid al-Sharaa, Jordanian Civil Defense spokesman, said.

Al-Sharaa said 12 passengers suffered from smoke inhalation and were taken to a Jordanian hospital. The remaining passengers were placed aboard life rafts that subsequently sailed off to Egypt, he said.

Al-Sharaa told the Associated Press news agency that the captain and his three crew members were also rescued and were on their way back to Egypt.

An Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said Pella's passengers were mostly Egyptian expatriate workers returning home for the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, which starts on Sunday.

Hassan Falah, deputy of director of Red Sea ports authority, told Egyptian state TV that military aircraft and ships were involved in the rescue effort and hadcontinued to try to extinguish the ferry's fire.

The vessel was about 15 nautical miles off Aqaba when the blaze erupted on Thursday, the sources said.Owned by AB maritime, Pella was also carrying five trucks.Passengers were ordered to take to life rafts, and a tug and a second ferry were dispatched from Nuweiba to join the rescue, they added.

Falah said there was extensive damage to the ferry.

Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/MiddleEast or click here

* Id ul-Adha (‘Īd al-’Aḍḥá - various spellings)(Festivity after the Hajj) Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥá Also called Festival of Sacrifice, Sacrifice Feast = Observed by Muslims around the world. Islamic Commemoration of Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his eldest son Ishmael in obedience to a command from Allah - and Ishmael's acceptance of this command. Marks the end of the Pilgrimage to sundown, and ask God for forgiveness. 2011 date November 6 to November 9 A special time for celebration, cleansing and offering gifts to the poor.