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Greek tourist ship runs aground Greek tourist ship runs aground
(40 minutes later)
Greek authorities have begun evacuating a ship carrying 280 passengers, mostly tourists, which ran aground near the island of Poros, south of Athens. Greek authorities have evacuated a ship carrying 313 people, mostly foreign tourists, which ran aground near the island of Poros, south of Athens.
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. Helicopters, a military transport plane and coastguard vessels were involved in rescuing those on board the Giorgis, which hit a reef in the Saronic Gulf.
The merchant marine ministry said there had been no reports of any injuries.The merchant marine ministry said there had been no reports of any injuries.
The ship ran aground during a three-day cruise from the port of Piraeus to the islands of Aegina, Poros and Hydra. The ship ran aground during a cruise from the port of Piraeus to the nearby islands of Aegina, Poros and Hydra.
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. The mayor of Poros, Dimitris Stratigos, said the Greek-flagged vessel was stranded in an inlet about three nautical miles (5.5km) from the island's port.
"The operation is proceeding smoothly. Around 40 people have been taken off the ship so far," he told the state television channel, NET. After the Giorgis began to take on large amounts of water, an operation to evacuate the passengers and crew was launched by the coast guard and the local authorities, he added.
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 evacuation is finished and we are making the final checks to make sure everyone is safe," an official from the merchant marine ministry later told the Reuters news agency.
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. The passenger list included 103 Japanese, 58 Americans and 56 Russians, among others. There were also 35 crew.
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. The Greek navy said the rescued passengers had been taken to a naval training facility on Poros, where its medical staff had set up temporary shelters.
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.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.