This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30620819
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Italy ferry fire: Scores awaiting rescue | Italy ferry fire: Scores awaiting rescue |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| More than 250 people are still awaiting rescue from an Italian ferry that caught fire north-west of Corfu. | |
| Rescue operations are continuing despite massive waves and strong winds. The Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, said it would be a "long night". | Rescue operations are continuing despite massive waves and strong winds. The Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, said it would be a "long night". |
| The Italian navy says 221 of the 478 people on board had been evacuated by early on Monday. | |
| One person died after jumping from the ship and another has been confirmed injured, officials say. | One person died after jumping from the ship and another has been confirmed injured, officials say. |
| The blaze on board the Norman Atlantic, which was travelling from Patras in Greece to Ancona in Italy, reportedly started on the ferry's car deck before spreading. | The blaze on board the Norman Atlantic, which was travelling from Patras in Greece to Ancona in Italy, reportedly started on the ferry's car deck before spreading. |
| Passengers described panicking as the heat rose, then freezing as they stood on decks awaiting rescue. | Passengers described panicking as the heat 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." |
| Hypothermia | Hypothermia |
| Helicopters have been winching people to safety. | Helicopters have been winching people to safety. |
| Most have been transferred to nearby ships, although some have been taken directly to hospital for treatment for hypothermia. | Most have been transferred to nearby ships, although some have been taken directly to hospital for treatment for hypothermia. |
| Nearby merchant vessels aligned themselves in formation to protect the ship from waves and facilitate the rescue. | Nearby merchant vessels aligned themselves in formation to protect the ship from waves and facilitate the rescue. |
| "This is a complicated rescue mission... The visibility is poor and the weather conditions are difficult, but we are confident because there are a good number of ships in the area," Greece Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said. | "This is a complicated rescue mission... The visibility is poor and the weather conditions are difficult, but we are confident because there are a good number of ships in the area," Greece Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said. |
| Mr Varvitsiotis later told reporters the fire had been brought partly under control. | Mr Varvitsiotis later told reporters the fire had been brought partly under control. |
| "It will be a very difficult night, a night in which we hope we will be able to rescue all on board," he said. | "It will be a very difficult night, a night in which we hope we will be able to rescue all on board," he said. |
| Most of those on board were Greek. Others came from Italy, Turkey, Albania, Germany and many other countries, officials said. | Most of those on board were Greek. Others came from Italy, Turkey, Albania, Germany and many other countries, officials said. |
| A passenger manifest said that two Britons were on board, but the BBC understands that there may have been as many as six. | A passenger manifest said that two Britons were on board, but the BBC understands that there may have been as many as six. |
| It is not yet clear what may have caused the fire. | It is not yet clear what may have caused the fire. |
| 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. |
| Have your say | Have your say |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions. | Read the terms and conditions. |