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Greek tourist ship runs aground Greek tourist ship runs aground
(about 2 hours later)
A Greek boat carrying 280 passengers, mostly tourists, has run aground on a reef north of the Saronic Gulf island of Poros near Athens, officials say. Greek authorities have begun evacuating a ship carrying 280 passengers, mostly tourists, which ran aground near the island of Poros, south of Athens.
The boat is taking on water, but a helicopter and three coastguard vessels are on their way to evacuate those on board, all of whom are said to be safe. Helicopters, a military transport plane and coastguard vessels are involved in rescuing those on board the Giorgis, which hit a reef in the Saronic Gulf.
It is not yet known why ship hit the reef, as the weather was very good. The merchant marine ministry said there had been no reports of any injuries.
The ship was on a daily excursion from the port of Piraeus to the nearby islands of Aegina, Poros and Hydra. The ship ran aground during a three-day cruise from the port of Piraeus to the islands of Aegina, Poros and Hydra.
The mayor of Poros, Dimitris Stratigos, said the vessel was stranded about 3 nautical miles (5.5km) from the island's port. The mayor of Poros, Dimitris Stratigos, said the Greek-flagged vessel was stranded about three nautical miles (5.5km) from the island's main port.
"Thankfully, the weather conditions are good, and there doesn't appear to be any serious problem," he told the Associated Press. "The operation is proceeding smoothly. Around 40 people have been taken off the ship so far," he told the state television channel, NET.
Last April, two French tourists were killed when a cruise ship with 1,600 people on board ran aground on rocks off the Greek island of Santorini. The ship's captain and five other crew were charged with negligence. Mr Stratigos said the Giorgis was still taking on water, but that the rescuers were being helped by good weather and the several hours of daylight remaining.
The Greek navy said the rescued passengers were being taken to a naval training facility on Poros, where its medical staff were setting up temporary shelters.
A spokeswoman for the operators of the Giorgis, Hydraiki Naval Company, was unable to give any details on the passengers' nationalities or the cause of the accident.
Last April, two French tourists were killed when a cruise ship with 1,600 people on board ran aground on rocks off the Greek island of Santorini. The ship's captain and five other crew members were charged with negligence.