This article is from the source 'independent' 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.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/norman-atlantic-ferry-fire-two-british-men-still-not-rescued-from-burning-italian-ship-9947674.html

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Norman Atlantic ferry fire: Four British people rescued with two still on board Italian ship Norman Atlantic ferry fire: All passengers rescued from charred vessel amid five deaths
(about 1 hour later)
More than 160 people are still awaiting rescue from a ship that caught fire on Sunday morning off the coast of Corfu, including two British people – one of which was mistakenly believed to have been airlifted to safety with his fiancée. Six British travellers have been rescued from a ferry that caught fire on Sunday morning off the coast of Corfu in a final evacuation of all remaining passengers – five of which had died.
Nick Channing-Williams was reported to have been rescued with his Greek partner Regina Theoffili, amid a total of 422 passengers and 56 crew members on board, but his family have now said Italian officials informed them that he remains on the boat. The family of Nick Channing-Williams, who emerged from the vessel with his face covered in soot, are “extremely relieved” now he has been rescued after his Greek partner Regina Theoffili was previously taken to safety by a helicopter.
The 37-year-old show-jumper, who is based in Greece, is one of six British people believed to have been travelling on the ship which had been sailing from the western Greek port of Patras to the Italian port of Ancona on the Adriatic Sea. A total of 422 passengers and 56 crew members were on board the ferry that was found today to have “safety deficiencies” reported in an inspection on 19 December, including missing emergency system parts and faulty fire doors.
The car ferry Norman Atlantic burns in the Adriatic Sea waters near Greece Two of the British people were travelling with UK passports and four are believed to be dual-nationals using passports from other countries, the Foreign Office confirmed. The 37-year-old show-jumper, who is based in Greece, is one of six Britons believed to have been travelling on the ship which had been sailing from the western Greek port of Patras to the Italian port of Ancona on the Adriatic Sea.
Four British people have been rescued so far, as declared by local authorities. One is a dual-national travelling with a British passport and three are dual-nationals using foreign passports. The car ferry Norman Atlantic burns in the Adriatic Sea waters Mr Channing-Williams called his family in Berkshire to say he had been taken to a hospital in Italy and was on his way to being reunited with Ms Theoffili.
“A number of British nationals were on board. We believe some have now been rescued, but the rescue operation is ongoing,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. His stepfather, Steve Jobar, said: “We believe he has been helicoptered to the mainland and taken to the same hospital as Regina.”
One man that had died in the incident and his injured wife were found in a lifeboat rescue chute, the Italian Navy said. Four others have been also confirmed dead by coastguard spokesman Nikos Lagadianos.One man that had died in the incident and his injured wife were found in a lifeboat rescue chute, the Italian Navy said. Four others have been also confirmed dead by coastguard spokesman Nikos Lagadianos.
Others have pleaded to their families and the authorities over the phone to do what is possible to save them from danger. A rescued Turkish passenger, Aylin Akamac, told the state-run Anadolu Agency from hospital in Brindisi that the rescue operation was disorganised and there were only three lifeboats on the ferry.
“Those who got out first got on the lifeboats,” she said, while the others were made to wait.
“We were soaked from the water they doused to extinguish the fire. Our feet froze. People were forced to move closer to the fire to keep warm. We waited outside for hours.”
Others had pleaded to their families and the authorities over the phone prior to the mass rescue mission to do whatever possible to save them from danger.
A cook on the ship is reported to have said in a call to his wife: “I cannot breathe, we are all going to burn like rats. God save us.”A cook on the ship is reported to have said in a call to his wife: “I cannot breathe, we are all going to burn like rats. God save us.”
Mr Channing-Williams’ mother Dotty, from Berkshire said it has been a frustrating wait for news while the rescue mission continues on the charred vessel amid choppy seas and strong winds. Susan Daltas said her daughter Mia and her two granddaughters had been rescued from the ship while her British son-in-law Marcus called her from a phone while he has remained on the ship. The youngest girl has been taken to hospital to be treated for hypothermia.
She said: “We are of course pleased that Regina is off [the boat], but we can’t get any information. We have been up the whole night trying to phone people and trying to find out exactly what is happening.”
“I had told people they had both been airlifted and were fine and now that’s not the case. A lot of what we're hearing is hearsay, we don’t really know.
“I'm hopeful the wait for good news won’t be too much longer.”
Susan Daltas said her daughter Mia and her two granddaughters had been rescued from the ship while her son-in-law Marcus called her from a phone while he has remained on the ship. The youngest girl has been taken to hospital to be treated for hypothermia.
“They sent the two girls quite a long time before Mia, which worried us a little because they're too young to be without their mother, especially after all that worry and fright. They must be terrified,” she told the BBC.
Of her son-in-law, Mrs Daltas said: “He was shaken, obviously, but I think he’d been staying strong for the family, and the minute they were safe he went a bit wobbly.Of her son-in-law, Mrs Daltas said: “He was shaken, obviously, but I think he’d been staying strong for the family, and the minute they were safe he went a bit wobbly.
“It’s just cold, and he said his mobile was soaking wet because they had to keep moving around the boat to get away from the fire. So it’s obviously not pleasant.”“It’s just cold, and he said his mobile was soaking wet because they had to keep moving around the boat to get away from the fire. So it’s obviously not pleasant.”