On March 30, 2012, the Azamara Quest, a luxury cruise ship carrying 1,001 individuals—predominantly European and American tourists—experienced a fire in one of its engine rooms shortly after departing Manila en route to Sandakan, Malaysia. The fire was promptly extinguished, but five crew members suffered smoke inhalation, with one sustaining serious injuries. No passengers were harmed. 
The incident left the vessel adrift in the Sulu Sea for approximately 24 hours. Engineers managed to restore propulsion, enabling the ship to proceed at reduced speed toward Sandakan. Escorted by Malaysian patrol vessels, the Azamara Quest docked safely on April 1, 2012. Upon arrival, passengers were transported to local hotels, and the remainder of the cruise was canceled. The cruise line arranged for passengers to be flown home and offered full refunds.
This event occurred during a challenging period for the cruise industry, following the Costa Concordia disaster in January 2012 and a fire on the Costa Allegra in February of the same year.
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