Relatives of the missing are outraged that the Euroferry Olympia is being towed to Kefalonia

The still-smoking Euroferry Olympia has been towed to safe harbor on the Italian coast since Tuesday morning to ease the work of firefighters and rescuers.

The towing of the ferry from the north of Corfu to the port of Platigialos in Astakos (Kefalonia island) caused outrage among the relatives of ten missing passengers, who still have hope of saving their loved ones.

“I’m not against safety or environmental concerns, I want the ferry to be here and for the rescuers to keep doing their job,” the wife of one of the two missing Greek truck drivers told the media. A woman and her son were traveling to Corfu on Friday when they learned that the ferry carrying their beloved husband and father had caught fire. “You have no idea what will happen when the autopsy establishes the time of his death,” the woman warned. While the ferry is being towed, no rescue or firefighting operations can be carried out.

The Euroferry Olympia departed northwestern Corfu at 11 am on Tuesday, having traveled about 35 nautical miles before noon, reaching Igoumenitsa. It will take another 15 hours until it reaches the port of Platigialos in Astakos.

“No rescue operations while the ferry is being towed. What they want? That we’ll get their ashes? stressed a relative of another missing Greek truck driver. But hopes for the survivors faded on Tuesday, the 5th day after the fire broke out, which continued all these days and nights.

According to the Ministry of Shipping, the position of the ferry in the north of the island of Corfu did not allow the fire departments to fully extinguish the flames, which had already claimed one life.

Fire on the ferry Euroferry Olympia under the Italian flag broke out early on the morning of Friday 18 February, when she was en route from the port of Igoumenitsa to the port of Brindisi in Italy.

About 280 passengers and crew were rescued from the ship, including truck driverwho was found on Sunday, the same day that one of his colleagues was found dead in the cab of his truck.

According to the fire department, the search for the remaining 10 missing passengers cannot continue until the flames are fully brought under control, which is not possible in the current situation.

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