A very positive development in the superhuman effort to extinguish the burning Euroferry Olympia ship as it was located by EMAK rescuers at the stern and is in good health, a passenger.
According to the latest information, while initially there was talk of a man of Lithuanian origin, The survivor eventually appears to be from Belarus, although it is not yet known if he is one of the 12 missing or was not on the passenger list.
/strong> η Georgia Lagou , the man in his first words after the rescue, stated that from time to time he heard other voices inside the ship, something that rekindles the hope for locating missing persons. Giannis Plakiotakis confirmed the very positive development of the location, stating that identification is expected.
During the day it is not ruled out that there will be a new operation by a special team on board to locate the remaining 11 missing if the thermal and toxic cargo falls.
The movement of the ship at this point was deemed necessary due to changing weather conditions in the sea area but also to ensure that it will not be in danger of being dragged and stranded in the shallows or colliding with another ship.
There are five tugs around the ship, a Fire Brigade boat and two vessels Λιμενικού. Also operating a helicopter.
It is noted that a team of the & # 8220; Hellenic Maritime Accident Investigation Service (ELYDNA) & # 8221; has already gone to Corfu, within the framework of its responsibilities under Community and national law, to conduct a technical investigation to identify the causes and conditions that led to the naval accident of the fire, in collaboration with the Italian Peer Authority DIGIFEMA. (DIGIFEMA: Direzione Generale Investigazioni Ferroviarie e Marittime).
The burning ship off Kassiopi
The superhuman efforts are made by the fire brigade, in order to extinguish the fires that are still raging on the ship Euroferry Olympia, the camera of OPEN records, while the high temperatures in parts of the ship.
In the exclusive images recorded by Dimitris Alexakis and Aris Koutsioukis Efforts were made to bring the fire under control while the ship was towed to a safe anchorage, north of Corfu northeast of Kassiopi bay. Fire Brigade and five Trailers.
In fact, as he dramatically stated, “our rescuers who had entered melted their shoes”, while very toxic gases are trapped.
As he explained, “the visibility inside it is zero, we go by touch because we have no eye contact “.
Speaking on the OPEN show, “Now what is happening” the chief firefighter and head of EMAK George Mitsis, explained that the very high temperatures complicate the work of the forces operating as the temperatures inside the housing reach 600 degrees Celsius, while inside it is over 2,000.
Complaints about the ship since 2017: Reminiscent of “Norman Atlantic”
Complaints from June 2017 had been made by the Union of Professional Truck Drivers of Greece for the conditions on the ship “Euroferry Olympia” as well as for the ship “Euroferry Egnazia” of the company Grimaldi.
In a relevant letter to the ministry Shipping and the port authorities of Patras and Igoumenitsa, professional drivers stressed that the prevailing situation was reminiscent of “Norman Atlantic memories”.
“The stowage of the trucks does not comply with the safety rules for the navigation of the ships (according to the complainants, they are so close to each other that not even a 30 kg person can pass)”, they stated in their letter. They noted that drivers “sleep wherever they can”, even in their vehicles. In the same letter, they stated that the cabins were not in good condition, that the air conditioning was not working and that on some routes their number was not enough for the passengers.
In detail, the Greek Truck Drivers Union in the letter told him:
- The cabins of the ships do not comply with the standards for the rest and relaxation of the drivers. They are in poor condition in terms of hygiene and lurking infectious diseases (insects, cockroaches, etc.)
- Drivers' cleaning and hygiene areas (toilets, showers) do not work.
- The air conditioning does not work, with the result that drivers sleep wherever they can find (lounge, etc.) or for those who have access (due to stowage) to the cabins of trucks & # 8211; “(Memories & # 8220; Norman Atlantic & # 8221; Mr. Minister)”, they point out.
- Many colleagues have been food poisoned by the ship's food.
- The ship's cabins are sometimes not enough for the occupants with all that entails.
- The ventilation in the garages of the ships does not work, with the consequence that the situation is unbearable from the exhaust gases of the FDX.
- The FDX storage does not comply with the safety rules for the navigation of the ships (according to the complainants they are so close to each other that not even a 30 kg person can pass).
