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| Italy ferry: Death toll rises to eight as evacuation ends | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The death toll following a fire on the Norman Atlantic ferry off Corfu has risen to eight, with the evacuation of all those on board now complete. | |
| One man was killed when trying to escape the ship, and a further seven bodies have since been found. | |
| More than 400 people were rescued, in a long and complex operation amid gale-force winds and thick smoke. | |
| The captain of the ferry was the last to be rescued, more than 36 hours after sending out a distress signal. | The captain of the ferry was the last to be rescued, more than 36 hours after sending out a distress signal. |
| Captain Argilio Giacomazzi handed control of the stricken vessel to the Italian navy at 1350 GMT on Monday. | |
| It is unclear what caused the fire to break out on Sunday on the car deck of the ferry. | |
| Italian prosecutors announced on Monday that they had opened a criminal investigation into the fire and would look into whether negligence had played a role. | Italian prosecutors announced on Monday that they had opened a criminal investigation into the fire and would look into whether negligence had played a role. |
| The ferry company operating the journey from the Greek city of Patras to Ancona in Italy said a total of 478 people were on board. | |
| A 62-year-old Greek man was the first of the fatalities to be recovered. He and his wife, who was injured, had fallen into the water as they tried to reach a lifeboat. | A 62-year-old Greek man was the first of the fatalities to be recovered. He and his wife, who was injured, had fallen into the water as they tried to reach a lifeboat. |
| Teodora Douli, 56, told Ansa news agency that her husband may have hit his head as he fell. "I tried to save him but I couldn't," she said. | Teodora Douli, 56, told Ansa news agency that her husband may have hit his head as he fell. "I tried to save him but I couldn't," she said. |
| Another seven bodies were found later. | |
| Hypothermia | Hypothermia |
| Helicopters crews fitted with night vision equipment worked through the night to rescue passengers despite difficult conditions. | |
| Italian Air Force helicopter pilot Maj Antonio Laneve told Italian state TV that "acrid smoke" had filled his helicopter cabin, making the rescue even more challenging. | |
| People were taken off the ship individually by helicopter, an Italian navy spokesperson said. | People were taken off the ship individually by helicopter, an Italian navy spokesperson said. |
| Most of the rescued passengers were transferred to nearby ships, although some were taken directly to hospital. | Most of the rescued passengers were transferred to nearby ships, although some were taken directly to hospital. |
| Three children and a pregnant woman were among those being treated in hospital for hypothermia, according to the Associated Press news agency. | Three children and a pregnant woman were among those being treated in hospital for hypothermia, according to the Associated Press news agency. |
| Passengers described panicking as the heat on the ferry rose, then freezing as they stood on decks awaiting rescue. | Passengers described panicking as the heat on the ferry rose, then freezing as they stood on decks awaiting rescue. |
| The wife of one of the cooks told journalists she had had a call from her husband saying: "I cannot breathe, we are all going to burn like rats - God save us." | The wife of one of the cooks told journalists she had had a call from her husband saying: "I cannot breathe, we are all going to burn like rats - God save us." |
| Another passenger told Greek TV station Mega: "We are outside, we are very cold, the ship is full of smoke, the boat is still burning, the floors are boiling, underneath the cabins it must be burning since 5 o'clock, the boats that came (to rescue us) are gone, and we are here. They cannot take us." | Another passenger told Greek TV station Mega: "We are outside, we are very cold, the ship is full of smoke, the boat is still burning, the floors are boiling, underneath the cabins it must be burning since 5 o'clock, the boats that came (to rescue us) are gone, and we are here. They cannot take us." |
| Coast Guard Adm Giovanni Pettorino said that a member of the Italian military had been injured during the rescue. | Coast Guard Adm Giovanni Pettorino said that a member of the Italian military had been injured during the rescue. |
| 'Slight malfunction' | 'Slight malfunction' |
| Most of those on board were Greek. Mr Lagadianos told AP that 234 passengers and 34 crew members were from the country. | Most of those on board were Greek. Mr Lagadianos told AP that 234 passengers and 34 crew members were from the country. |
| Others came from Italy, Turkey, Albania, Germany and several other countries. Four British nationals have been rescued from the stricken ferry, according to the UK Foreign Office. | Others came from Italy, Turkey, Albania, Germany and several other countries. Four British nationals have been rescued from the stricken ferry, according to the UK Foreign Office. |
| The chief executive of the Visentini group that owns the vessel, Carlo Visentini, said the ferry had passed a recent technical inspection despite a "slight malfunction" in one of the fire doors, Italy's Ansa news agency reports. | The chief executive of the Visentini group that owns the vessel, Carlo Visentini, said the ferry had passed a recent technical inspection despite a "slight malfunction" in one of the fire doors, Italy's Ansa news agency reports. |
| "The tests confirmed that the boat was in full working order," he said, adding that the fire door had been repaired "to the satisfaction of the inspectors". | "The tests confirmed that the boat was in full working order," he said, adding that the fire door had been repaired "to the satisfaction of the inspectors". |
| Ferries are an important mode of transport between Greece's hundreds of islands as well as neighbouring countries. | Ferries are an important mode of transport between Greece's hundreds of islands as well as neighbouring countries. |
| Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? Do you know any of the passengers on the ferry? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. | Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? Do you know any of the passengers on the ferry? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. |
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