Two QE2 crew members are in hospital with serious burns after they were showered with scalding steam in an engine room accident.

The Filipino workers were airlifted from the luxury cruise liner, which was 250 miles from land, and taken to a hospital in Cork, Ireland.

The men, who are both in their 20s, were repairing a boiler valve when the accident happened on Sunday evening.

The ship has been making full speed since the accident to get to the nearest land point.

QE2 spokesman

A spokesman for Cunard Line, which owns the QE2, said the workers were immediately taken to the ship's hospital, where their condition was described as stable but serious.

He added: "The ship has been making full speed since the accident to get to the nearest land point."

It has 1,700 passengers on board and is due to arrive in Southampton on Tuesday, having left New York on 20 June.

The ship was diverted from its course after the accident, to bring it within range of a Sea King helicopter from RAF Chivenor in Devon.