Ferry still burning after 20 days; 3 missing
Almost three weeks after the Italian-owned “Euroferry Olympia” caught fire off Greece’s coast, firefighters are still battling local blazes and looking for three missing people.
The ferry is on the west-central port of Astakos where it was towed from its original position near Corfu island. It had sailed from the northwestern Greek port of Igoumenitsa on February 18, bound for Brindisi, Italy.
There are 8 confirmed deaths, and 281 passengers and crew were evacuated from the ship soon after it caught fire. The last rescued survivor, a 21-year-old truck driver, was found on Feb. 20 after he had made his way to the open deck.
Just over the past few hours, 14 trucks have been lifted off the ship; they are being closely inspected by firefighters and a prosecutor-appointed special investigator for any signs of the missing.
Megatugs Salvage & Towage, the private Greek company involved in the operation, alongside the Fire Service, has removed 600 cubic meters of water from the ship to prevent its capsizing, while firefighters still pump water to reduce temperatures inside the ship.
Removing the estimated 700 tons of fuel still on the ferry will be done after all remaining trucks and passenger vehicles have been lifted off the ferry.
[AMNA]
