Thousands of passengers on board a cruise ship were stranded about 150 miles (240 kilometers) south of San Diego, Southern California after the ship caught fire, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Tuesday.

The Carnival cruise ship C/V Splendor sits adrift approximately 150 miles (278 km) southwest of San Diego,

November 9, 2010, in this photograph released by the U.S. Navy.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

A total of 3,299 passengers and 1,167 crew members must be towed slowly into a Mexican port and will not arrive until at least Wednesday night, according to the Coast Guard.

It said three cutters and a helicopter have been sent to monitor the situation and provide any needed assistance.

The Carnival Splendor cruise ship became marooned in the Pacific due to an early morning engine-room fire on Monday, said Carnival Cruise Lines, which owns the ship.

The blaze erupted about 6 a.m. as the 952-foot luxury liner was roughly 55 miles (88 kilometers) west of Punta San Jacintoon, the first leg of a seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise that departed from Long Beach, Southern California on Sunday, the cruise company said.

None of the passengers and crew members aboard was injured, though several people reportedly suffered panic attacks during the emergency, according to the statement.

The fire and all hot spots were fully extinguished within about three hours, officials said.

The crew of the 113,000-ton ship was "actively working to restore partial services" through the day, Carnival asserted in its statement.

The liner will be towed to Ensenada, Mexico "in an effort to get the guests home as quickly as possible," according to the cruise line.

"We know this has been an extremely trying situation for our guests, and we sincerely thank them for their patience," said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and chief executive officer. " Conditions on board the ship are very challenging, and we sincerely apologize for the discomfort and inconvenience our guests are currently enduring."

The affected customers will receive a full refund along with reimbursement for transportation costs, according to the cruise company.

Additionally, they will receive a complimentary future cruise equal to the amount paid for the aborted voyage.

The ship's normal itinerary includes stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet