In Greece, off the coast of the island of Kerkyra (Corfu), an operation is being carried out to rescue passengers from the burning ship Euroferry Olympia.
At night, the ship was engulfed in flames, and early on Friday morning the victims were evacuated to about. Corfu.
Three helicopters are operating in the sea area where the burning ship is located and efforts are being made to free two people from the bridge, the highest point of the ship.
According to official information from the Ministry of Shipping, there were 290 passengers and crew members on board the ship. Of these, 21 Greeks (14 passengers and 7 crew members).
In the port of the Corfu Port Authority, work is underway to identify and count passengers. The first rescue boats that carried passengers have already arrived on the island.
According to the SKAI channel, two people are trapped in the garage of the Euroferry Olympia, which caught fire early in the morning off the island of Ereikousas, north of Corfu, while en route from Igoumenitsa to Brindisi.
According to the same reports, one of the two people called the authorities for help and said he spotted another in the same compartment. Two military boats put out the fire.
Recall that the Italian-flagged vessel on which the fire raged was carrying 290 people (239 passengers and 51 crew members), 25 private cars and 153 trucks, according to official reports.
Regarding the information about the 10 citizens who, according to the official list of Euroferry Olympia crew members and passengers, were supposed to be on board, no confirmation has yet been received that they boarded the lifeboats.
The first passengers of the ship have already arrived in Corfu. Among those rescued are three adults with minor injuries and breathing problems who were taken to a local hospital. An infant who is only two months old is expected to be delivered there at any time.
Course of events
According to the latest data from the Coast Guard, the fire broke out on deck #3 of the ship when it was northeast of Ereikousas. Coast Guard Commodore Nikos Lagadianos said earlier that four Coast Guard patrol boats, an Italian economic police boat, two coastal boats, two private boats, a Coast Guard helicopter, two Air Force helicopters and a Navy helicopter, as well as the frigate Hydra arrived near the burning vessel. “.
The first ship to approach the burning passenger ferry was an Italian Coast Guard cutter, part of the Frontex force, which called at Corfu for repairs and was returning to Italy. Being near the Euroferry Olympia, the liner was the first to rush to the place and assist in the evacuation process.
To date, the causes of the fire on the Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia ferry, which sailed between Igoumenitsa and Brindisi, are not known. According to the regional governor of the Ionian Islands, Rodi Kratz Tsagaropoulou, there were foreign citizens, mostly Italians, on board the ship.
The Corfu Port Authority launched a large operation to receive passengers. The EODY medical team is expected to arrive to test those rescued for coronavirus, as well as the Civil Protection team of the Ionian Islands region to fully take care of the reception of the victims, their first needs and accommodation.
The smoke from the ship was visible from Corfu. Residents of the island also reported the sounds of explosions coming from there.
It is reported from the port of Corfu that there is also information about missing people, 7-8 people. As of 09:45 am Friday, there was still no accurate picture and clear confirmation from the Ministry of Shipping and the competent authorities of this information.
In addition, as noted by the authorities, the final official count will take place in the port of Corfu, when all passengers and crew members have arrived there.
More Stories
Building collapsed in Piraeus: 1 killed, 3 injured, 7 arrested
Six tourists were injured when a trolleybus catenary wire fell onto a tourist bus
Six tourists, passengers on a sightseeing bus, were injured in Athens