This video shows smoke pouring out of an exhaust funnel after a fire broke out on a cruise ship

The footage shows the funnel engulfed in flames on the Carnival Cruise ship as it was on its voyage in the Bahamas.

Heath Barnes, of Woodsboro, Maryland, USA, said: "I am traveling with my nephew and his two friends and they came running into the cabin and said the ship is on fire. "

"I thought they were giving me a hard time but I got up and went out on the balcony and sure enough the flames and smoke was pouring out of the tail."

"This is my 18th cruise with Carnival and this was the most interesting one. It’s not their fault, it’s mother nature."

Cruise ship officials reported the fire broke around 3:15pm on 23 March.

A tannoy announcement stated that the vessel was turned towards the heavy rain in the area to put out the flames.

It added that an eyewitness reported that the ship may have been struck by lightning, but that has not been confirmed.