Survivor present in burning ferry off Greek island; 11 lacking

ATHENS – A survivor has been rescued Sunday morning from the strict of a nonetheless burning passenger ferry, Greece’s coast guard stated. There are 11 individuals nonetheless lacking.

A coast guard spokesman informed The Related Press the person, a Belarussian, was discovered on the left rear facet of the Euroferry Olympia in apparently good situation.

“The truth that this man succeeded, regardless of adversarial situations, to exit into the deck and alert the coast guard … offers us hope that there could also be different (survivors),” coast guard spokesman Nikos Alexiou informed state broadcaster ERT.

The rescued survivor, a person in his 20s, is a driver of a truck with Lithuanian license plates. Different particulars about him weren’t out there at the moment.

The survivor informed his rescuers he had heard different voices under deck. Alexiou stated his understanding was that he hadn’t heard any simply earlier than making his approach onto the deck, however added that “the scenario is evolving.” The survivor has been taken to a hospital to be examined as a precaution.

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The Italian-owned ferry, which was carrying greater than 290 passengers and crew, in addition to 153 vans and 32 automobiles, caught fireplace on Friday, three hours after it left the northwestern Greek port of Igoumenitsa, on the mainland, certain for Brindisi, Italy. The Greek coast guard and different boats evacuated about 280 individuals to the close by island of Corfu. Considered one of two passengers rescued Saturday wasn’t on the ship’s manifest and is, presumably, a migrant. The opposite particular person rescued Saturday, a 65-year-old Bulgarian truck driver, had respiratory issues and has been hooked to a ventilator in a Corfu hospital intensive care unit.

The ferry has been towed to the port of Kassiopi, in northeastern Corfu, by three tugboats, authorities stated. Firefighters had been nonetheless battling the blaze, which, though confined in sure areas, reignites sometimes, and thick smoke is hanging over the ship.

The intense temperatures in some elements of the ship have impeded the rescuers, made up of the Greek fireplace service’s Catastrophe Administration Unit and a crew of rescuers from personal operators, from looking the entire ship. The ferry is barely itemizing from the tons of water poured into it, however authorities say it’s not at risk of capsizing.

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A Greek prosecutor on the island of Corfu has ordered an investigation into the reason for the hearth. The Italy-based firm that operates the ferry stated the hearth began in a maintain the place autos had been parked.

The ship’s captain and two engineers had been arrested Friday, however had been launched the identical day, authorities stated.

Passengers described a dramatic rescue scenario.

“We heard the alarm. We thought it was some type of drill. However we noticed by means of the portholes that folks had been working,” truck driver Dimitris Karaolanidis informed the AP Saturday. “You may’t assume one thing on the time (aside from) your loved ones … After I hit the deck, I noticed smoke and youngsters. Thankfully, they (the crew) acted rapidly.”

Officers stated the individuals rescued included residents of Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Italy, and Lithuania.

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Petros Giannakouris and Lefteris Pitarakis contributed to this report from Corfu.