Share this article Australia will send a support vessel to assist the Antarctic resupply vessel MPV Everest in the Southern Ocean with 109 people on board after the ship suffered a fire in one of its engine rooms, the Australian Antarctic Division has reported. MPV Everest, which is chartered by the Division, experienced a fire in its port engine room on Tuesday while returning home after a two month resupply mission to the Davis and Mawson research stations in east Antarctica. The vessel was able to continue under its own power and was last reported located about 1200 nautical miles south of Fremantle, traveling at a speed of about 10 knots.