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| Hundreds Stranded as Ferry Catches Fire Off the Greek Coast | Hundreds Stranded as Ferry Catches Fire Off the Greek Coast |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| VERBANIA, Italy — Italian, Greek and Albanian vessels battled gale-force winds and rough seas early Monday as they struggled to rescue hundreds of passengers stranded on a ferry that caught fire Sunday off the northwestern coast of Greece en route to Italy. | |
| Italian news media reported that the fire broke out on the car deck of the ferry, which was heading to the Italian port of Ancona. The ship was carrying 422 passengers and 56 crew members, according to the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry. The ministry said that 234 of the passengers were Greek and that the ship was also carrying passengers from Turkey, Italy, Albania, Switzerland, France, Georgia, Belgium, Austria, Syria and other countries. | Italian news media reported that the fire broke out on the car deck of the ferry, which was heading to the Italian port of Ancona. The ship was carrying 422 passengers and 56 crew members, according to the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry. The ministry said that 234 of the passengers were Greek and that the ship was also carrying passengers from Turkey, Italy, Albania, Switzerland, France, Georgia, Belgium, Austria, Syria and other countries. |
| Italian officials said that one passenger had died while trying to get off the ship, and a spokeswoman for the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry confirmed that a Greek man had died during the rescue effort. | Italian officials said that one passenger had died while trying to get off the ship, and a spokeswoman for the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry confirmed that a Greek man had died during the rescue effort. |
| The Italian Navy, which took command of the rescue operation, said several injured passengers had been taken to hospitals in Italy, and the Italian defense minister, Roberta Pinotti, said that the rescue efforts would continue through the night. | The Italian Navy, which took command of the rescue operation, said several injured passengers had been taken to hospitals in Italy, and the Italian defense minister, Roberta Pinotti, said that the rescue efforts would continue through the night. |
| As dawn broke on Monday, the Italian Navy said that 284 people had been saved while 194 still remained on board. Some of the rescued passengers were being taken by ship to Italian ports. | |
| Speaking on RAI News, the Italian national broadcaster, Capt. Riccardo Rizzotto of the Italian Navy said Sunday night that more than 300 passengers were waiting to be removed from the ship. Later Sunday, the number had decreased to 287 as rescue efforts continued. Captain Rizzotto acknowledged that those who were waiting to be rescued were experiencing difficult conditions. | Speaking on RAI News, the Italian national broadcaster, Capt. Riccardo Rizzotto of the Italian Navy said Sunday night that more than 300 passengers were waiting to be removed from the ship. Later Sunday, the number had decreased to 287 as rescue efforts continued. Captain Rizzotto acknowledged that those who were waiting to be rescued were experiencing difficult conditions. |
| “The water is choppy, and it is very cold,” Captain Rizzotto said. “Certainly they’re suffering.” | “The water is choppy, and it is very cold,” Captain Rizzotto said. “Certainly they’re suffering.” |
| Throughout the day, ships and helicopters departed from several Italian ports to reach the stricken boat. The ferry, the Norman Atlantic, sails under an Italian flag but was chartered by a Greek company, ANEK Lines. It caught fire about 35 miles north of the Greek island of Corfu after leaving the Greek port of Igoumenitsa early Sunday morning, the charter company said in a statement. It did not say what had caused the fire. | Throughout the day, ships and helicopters departed from several Italian ports to reach the stricken boat. The ferry, the Norman Atlantic, sails under an Italian flag but was chartered by a Greek company, ANEK Lines. It caught fire about 35 miles north of the Greek island of Corfu after leaving the Greek port of Igoumenitsa early Sunday morning, the charter company said in a statement. It did not say what had caused the fire. |
| A distress call was issued shortly before 5 a.m. local time on Sunday, requesting that all ships in the channel off Otranto in the Puglia region assist with the rescue efforts. | A distress call was issued shortly before 5 a.m. local time on Sunday, requesting that all ships in the channel off Otranto in the Puglia region assist with the rescue efforts. |
| Italian news media broadcast images of the ship enveloped in smoke. Greece’s merchant marine minister, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, described the rescue operations as “particularly difficult and complicated,” and the Italian Navy said Sunday evening that the smoke was hampering rescue efforts. | Italian news media broadcast images of the ship enveloped in smoke. Greece’s merchant marine minister, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, described the rescue operations as “particularly difficult and complicated,” and the Italian Navy said Sunday evening that the smoke was hampering rescue efforts. |
| Passengers found refuge on the top deck of the ship, according to the navy. | Passengers found refuge on the top deck of the ship, according to the navy. |
| But a Greek woman, who gave her name only as Athina, told a Greek television station that she and about 40 other passengers could feel the heat from the fire on the deck before boarding a lifeboat. “The deck was hot; it was burning our feet,” she said. “We couldn’t believe what was happening.” | But a Greek woman, who gave her name only as Athina, told a Greek television station that she and about 40 other passengers could feel the heat from the fire on the deck before boarding a lifeboat. “The deck was hot; it was burning our feet,” she said. “We couldn’t believe what was happening.” |
| Navy helicopters were used to begin carrying some passengers to safety, and by late Sunday afternoon, the ship was attached to a towboat. Although other ships were responding to the distress call, rescuers warned that it was still a hazardous situation. “The severe weather conditions are still making it difficult for ships to get close, and it’s beginning to be dark,” said an Italian Defense Ministry spokesman, who asked not to be identified according to Italian institutional practices. | Navy helicopters were used to begin carrying some passengers to safety, and by late Sunday afternoon, the ship was attached to a towboat. Although other ships were responding to the distress call, rescuers warned that it was still a hazardous situation. “The severe weather conditions are still making it difficult for ships to get close, and it’s beginning to be dark,” said an Italian Defense Ministry spokesman, who asked not to be identified according to Italian institutional practices. |
| But by Sunday evening, 10 merchant ships had managed to reach the ferry, and they were taking on passengers, the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry said. | But by Sunday evening, 10 merchant ships had managed to reach the ferry, and they were taking on passengers, the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry said. |
| Another Greek passenger, Nikos Papatheodosiou, told Greek television that “the wind is pushing us from one side to the other, and we can’t breathe in the smoke.” | Another Greek passenger, Nikos Papatheodosiou, told Greek television that “the wind is pushing us from one side to the other, and we can’t breathe in the smoke.” |
| “Do something to save us,” he begged. “We’ll drown like mice.” | “Do something to save us,” he begged. “We’ll drown like mice.” |
| In a separate accident in the region, a Turkish cargo ship collided with another merchant vessel and sank off the coast of Italy in the northern Adriatic on Sunday, killing two crew members and leaving four others missing, officials said, according to The Associated Press. | In a separate accident in the region, a Turkish cargo ship collided with another merchant vessel and sank off the coast of Italy in the northern Adriatic on Sunday, killing two crew members and leaving four others missing, officials said, according to The Associated Press. |