ATHENS:
Eleven people were reported missing after a ferry burst into flames in Corfu island of western Greece, while a rescue operation was underway for two persons trapped on the ferry, authorities said.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, a total of 278 people have been transferred in safety on Corfu, including a person who was not included in the official list of people on board.
“According to the official lists the vessel’s captain had submitted to port authorities in Igoumenitsa before departure, there were 239 passengers and 51 crew members onboard the Euroferry Olympia,” Nikos Lagadianos, Greek Coast Guard senior official, told a press briefing at Piraeus.
The two trapped persons were lorry drivers. Three people have been slightly injured, the director of Corfu hospital said.
The Italian-flagged ferry of Grimaldi Group had departed from the Greek port of Igoumenitsa sailing towards Brindisi when the incident occurred under still unclear circumstances.
Nearby ships and Coast Guard vessels rushed into the area to collect people who evacuated the ferry in lifeboats.
No fuel spill has been detected at sea, nor does the stability of the ship appear to be compromised, according to a Grimaldi Group press release.
Tugboats were heading towards the Euroferry Olympia to manage the emergency, it added.
The vessel Euroferry Olympia was built in 1995.
“The top management of the Grimaldi Group expresses its regret for the incident and will fully cooperate with the competent authorities to shed light on the incident,” according to the press statement. IANS