Originally published December 27, 2014
Coast guard boats and commercial vessels from Greece, Italy, and Albania have joined an international rescue effort to save more than 300 passengers and crew still trapped aboard a burning car ferry stranded in 44 nautical miles northwest of the Greek island of Corfu.
The Italian car ferry, Norman Atlantic, left the Greek port of Patras at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, headed for the Italian port of Ancona. The fire broke out on the lower garage deck after 6 a.m.
478 passengers and crew were aboard the ferry, as well as 222 cars and trucks. According to Sky News, some of the trucks contain shipments of olive oil. The fire has now spread throughout the ship.
150 people managed to evacuate the ship in lifeboats, and 30 of those have been transferred to other vessels. The over 300 passengers and crew who remain on the Normal Atlantic are taking refuge in the ship’s bridge. Sky News reports that those passengers are being rescued two at a time by Italian coastguard helicopter.
Occupants are becoming desperate and have told Greek media over the phone that they are contemplating jumping into the freezing water to escape the burning ferry. One man, Nikos Papatheodosiou told Greek TV by telephone, “We are burning and sinking, no one can save us. Please help us! Don't leave us,” before hanging up the call.
The Independent quoted another caller to Greek TV, saying “They tried to lower some boats, but not all of us could get in. There is no coordination. It's dark, the bottom of the vessel is on fire. We are on the bridge, we can see a boat approaching... we opened some boxes and got some life vests, we are trying to save ourselves."
No casualties have been reported so far.
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