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The Achille Lauro has a storied history from its beginnings as a Dutch-built ship in wartorn Netherlands. Several accidents and mishaps plagued the ship before being purchased by the Italian Flotto Lauro Line and transformed into a beautiful and stylish passenger liner. The Achille Lauro made international news in 1985 when it was hijacked off the coast of Egypt by members of the Palestinian Liberation Front, resulting in the death of Leon Klinghofer and a tense political standoff. In 1994 an engine fire erupted during a voyage from Genoa to South Africa. The fire raged out of control causing the passengers and crew to abandon ship. The Achille Lauro continued to burn and sank on December 2, 1994.

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