A Carnival cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has lost propulsion, is on emergency back-up power in the Gulf of Mexico and will have to be towed to shore, the cruise lines said in a statement.

According to a press release, there was a fire in the engine room of the Carnival Triumph yesterday morning as the ship sailed approximately 150 miles off the coast of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. The fire was extinguished without injuries but the ship lost propulsion and is now operating on emergency generator power.

The ship will be towed to Progreso, Mexico, where all 3,143 guests on board will be disembarked and flown home, the cruise line reported.

The Carnival Triumph left port in Galveston, Texas on Thursday with over 3,000 passengers and 1,000 crew members. It was scheduled to return today.

Another ship, the Carnival Elation, sailed out to the Triumph's location to provide passengers with additional food and beverages.

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