The information about the 10 missing is a cause for concernfrom the fire that broke out on the passenger-vehicle ferry Euroferry Olympia today at dawn, while sailing near Corfu .
As it became known a while ago, Two people are trapped in the burning ship and are in contact with the Existing to approach them by Super Puma. , where 279 people were counted from the total of 290 passengers (239 passengers and 51 crew) who were in the passenger-vehicle ferry of the Grimaldi group . In a protothema communication with the group, a spokesman said: “It's too early to make a statement. We try to cross-reference information and compare how many were declared on the passenger list with those who were rescued. The Italian boat has also been rescued, we are waiting for the counting and identification at the port of Corfu “.
The survivors of the ship that was engulfed in flames are currently on three vessels (there are more than 200 people on board) and are arriving in Corfu. There, the Coast Guard has determined 4 counting points where there will be an identity, so that there is a clear picture of the missing. Exploration at sea continues.
It is worth noting that earlier passengers who spoke on television expressed fears that not all passengers may have escaped, as it is possible that there were some drivers sleeping in their trucks in the garages.
MP Stefanos Gikas reported to protothema.gr about missing: “There is some unconfirmed information about 11 missing people, however, the Italian captain of the ship claims that they have all boarded. The counting process for the 239 passengers plus 51 crew has just begun. Several have been picked up by the Italian Coast Guard ship that happened to be in the area. Now the lifeboat 520 leaves and goes to approach the Italian “.
How the fire broke out & # 8211; Passenger testimonies
The fire broke out shortly after the departure of the ship from the port of Igoumenitsa in the early hours of Friday, off Ereikousa.
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At 4.30 in the morning there was an alarm on the ship and the evacuation process started immediately. The passengers of the Euroferry Olympia of the Grimaldi Group They left the ship in lifeboats and were picked up by floating boats. According to information transmitted by the Athens agency, there is a injured member of the crew. Fortunately, the weather was fine and the rescue operation went smoothly. . According to the first information of protothema.gr, the fire started from the garage, possibly from a refrigerator truck. “The flames started coming out of the outer decks after we had left the ship. That was when we heard explosions logically from the tires of the trucks “, stated to protothema.gr, a passenger driver. According to him, the crew was organized and trained. “If the crew had not reacted immediately, I do not know what would have happened if the fire had caught up with us,” he said.
A passenger spoke to MEGA as he was disembarking from the lifeboat on a ship of the Italian Economic Police that has rushed to help: “It is a loss, not something special. 140 people are on the boat. They woke us up at 4:30. “The fire from what we saw came from the garages.” The same person expressed concern that there may be truck drivers sleeping in their trucks in the ship's garages.
Read the announcement of the Ministry of Shipping about the fire in Euroferry Olympia:
In the early morning hours today, the Port Authorities of Igoumenitsa and Corfu from the Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Center of the Coast Guard – Hellenic Coast Guard were informed of a fire incident on deck No3 of the E/G-O/G ship “EUROF” while the ship was sailing in the sea area northeast of Ereikousa prefecture, during the execution of a planned route from Igoumenitsa to Brindisi.
There are already 04 patrol boats LS-EL.AKT., 1 N/G LS, a boat of Italian Economic Police, 02 floating ships, 02 private boats, a helicopter LS, 02 helicopters of PA. , as well as a helicopter of the PN, while the frigate “Hydra” is expected to sail. Also in the area are rushing 2 tugs, tug/fire and anti-pollution boat LS. According to the official crew and passenger statements submitted by the master of the ship in Igoumenitsa, before his departure, at “EUROFERRY OLYMPIA” 239 passengers and 51 crew were on board.
The operation to free and transport the passengers of the ship is in progress. Full registration and identification of the passengers will take place in Corfu. Northwesterly winds of 4 Beaufort prevail in the area.
The Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Giannis Plakiotakis , who was informed from the first moment about the incident, immediately ordered the full mobilization of vessels and aircraft to free the passengers and the crew of the ship. Finally, any new developments regarding the incident will be announced immediately with newer announcements.
One injured
According to the Athenian Agency, a boat of the Greek Navy transported a slightly injured member of the crew to the port of Corfu, which he received. It is noted that the injured passenger who arrived in Corfu by boat of the port body and was transported by EKAB to the Hospital, is said to have been slightly injured, “during his transfer from the burning ship to the lesbians”, according to Governor of the Ionian Islands Rodi Kratsa Tsagaropoulou .
See photos from the arrival of the injured in Corfu:
Corfu residents heard explosions
Photo taken from Corfu clearly shows the ship and dense smoke come out.
Dimitris Koskinas , a resident of Corfu, described to SKAI that the black smoke has covered a large area of Albania and Corfu, however no flames are visible anymore and it comes out conclusion that the fire has been extinguished.
“Before we heard clearly and some explosions” said Mr. Koskinas.
