Twelve people are still missing following the fire on the “Euroferry Olympia”. Two truck drivers were taken to the hospital by helicopter.
The fire on board the Italian car ferry “Euroferry Olympia”, which was drifting north of the Greek island of Corfu and a few nautical miles off the Albanian coast, is under control. This was reported by the Grimaldi shipping company, operator of the ship, on Saturday. A Bulgarian and an Afghan truck driver who were in the ship’s garage with dozens of vehicles were rescued.
The two men were evacuated by helicopter and immediately taken to Corfu hospital for examination. The 65-year-old Bulgarian had to be treated for smoke inhalation, Italian media reported. The 25-year-old Afghan is doing well.
Grimaldi’s management thanked “all the Italian and Greek authorities involved in the rescue operations, in particular the Italian financial police and the Greek coast guard, for their quick intervention”. Italian unions asked shipping companies to meet to discuss safety on board ferries.
A fire broke out on the ferry on Friday morning. The captain immediately ordered the evacuation. The Italian Coast Guard and Greek authorities worked together. At the beginning it was said that all passengers might be rescued unharmed. Only later did it become known that 280 people had been brought to safety by Friday evening. Twelve people are missing, according to the Coast Guard. These are Bulgarians, Greeks and a Turk, Grimaldi reported.
(APA/DPA)
