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| Frightening airborne rescue for stricken ferry passengers; seven dead | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rescue teams off the Adriatic Sea battled gale-force winds and monster waves to carry more than 400 passengers to safety after a fire broke out on a Greek-operated ferry. At least seven people were killed, officials said Monday after the all-night operation was completed. | |
| In Italy, where the ferry was bound, Premier Matteo Renzi said the vessel’s captain and a team of Italian sailors remained aboard to try to link the vessel to a tug boat. | In Italy, where the ferry was bound, Premier Matteo Renzi said the vessel’s captain and a team of Italian sailors remained aboard to try to link the vessel to a tug boat. |
| Meanwhile, Italian prosecutors opened an investigation into whether negligence or wrongdoing had a possible role in the blaze, Italy’s Ansa news agency reported. | |
| During the night, Italian and Greek rescue ships and helicopters winched passengers in small groups off the smoldering Norman Atlantic ferry in freezing temperatures and brought them to safety aboard merchant ships nearby, the Associated Press reported. | During the night, Italian and Greek rescue ships and helicopters winched passengers in small groups off the smoldering Norman Atlantic ferry in freezing temperatures and brought them to safety aboard merchant ships nearby, the Associated Press reported. |
| At dawn, the first group of 49 survivors arrived in the Italian port of Bari — nearly 24 hours after the fire erupted in the car hold as the ferry traveled from Patras in western Greece to the Italian port of Ancona. | At dawn, the first group of 49 survivors arrived in the Italian port of Bari — nearly 24 hours after the fire erupted in the car hold as the ferry traveled from Patras in western Greece to the Italian port of Ancona. |
| Greek officials described the rescue efforts as one of the most complex rescue operations its teams have faced in years. | Greek officials described the rescue efforts as one of the most complex rescue operations its teams have faced in years. |
| A statement from the Italian coast guard said 414 people had been rescued and seven bodies were recovered, the AP reported. The ferry company had said previously there were 478 passengers and crew on board. The reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear. | |
| The dead included a Greek man who became trapped in a lifeboat chute, the Greek coast guard said. The other bodies were found at sea. | |
| After initial rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather — ships could not reach the multi-decked ferry — Italian and Greek helicopter crews began the difficult and frightening airborne operation. | After initial rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather — ships could not reach the multi-decked ferry — Italian and Greek helicopter crews began the difficult and frightening airborne operation. |
| Dottie Channing-Williams, the mother of a British man on the ferry, told the BBC that her son had just been rescued early Monday. She called the conditions at sea “very, very worrying.” | Dottie Channing-Williams, the mother of a British man on the ferry, told the BBC that her son had just been rescued early Monday. She called the conditions at sea “very, very worrying.” |
| Passengers huddled on the vessel’s upper decks, pelted by a driving rain and hail, waiting to be rescued from the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic, which was operated by the Greek ferry operator, Anek Lines. | Passengers huddled on the vessel’s upper decks, pelted by a driving rain and hail, waiting to be rescued from the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic, which was operated by the Greek ferry operator, Anek Lines. |
| Nearby merchant ships lined up to form a barrier Sunday to protect the ferry from towering waves, Italian officials said. | Nearby merchant ships lined up to form a barrier Sunday to protect the ferry from towering waves, Italian officials said. |
| The Italian Coast Guard said the fire was extinguished about 16 hours after the blaze began. But the ferry was then enveloped in dense smoke. | The Italian Coast Guard said the fire was extinguished about 16 hours after the blaze began. But the ferry was then enveloped in dense smoke. |
| “With the wind, smoke entered into the helicopter cabin, acrid smoke,” Maj. Antonio Laneve told Italian state TV, Reuters reported. | “With the wind, smoke entered into the helicopter cabin, acrid smoke,” Maj. Antonio Laneve told Italian state TV, Reuters reported. |
| Passengers described scenes of terror and chaos when the fire broke out as they slept in their cabins. | Passengers described scenes of terror and chaos when the fire broke out as they slept in their cabins. |
| “They called first on women and children to be evacuated from the ship,” Vassiliki Tavrizelou, who was rescued along with her 2-year-old daughter, told The Associated Press. | “They called first on women and children to be evacuated from the ship,” Vassiliki Tavrizelou, who was rescued along with her 2-year-old daughter, told The Associated Press. |
| “Ships could not approach us because of the rain and winds,” Tavrizelou said in a telephone interview from Lecce. “We were at least four hours on the deck, in the cold and rain.” | “Ships could not approach us because of the rain and winds,” Tavrizelou said in a telephone interview from Lecce. “We were at least four hours on the deck, in the cold and rain.” |
| She recalled the ship alarm going off and seeing fire from her cabin. “Then we heard explosions,” she said. It was not immediately clear what the explosions were, and the cause of the fire has yet to be determined. | She recalled the ship alarm going off and seeing fire from her cabin. “Then we heard explosions,” she said. It was not immediately clear what the explosions were, and the cause of the fire has yet to be determined. |
| Most of the passengers were Greek, officials said. But passengers also came from Turkey, Albania, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and France. The crew is Greek and Italian. | Most of the passengers were Greek, officials said. But passengers also came from Turkey, Albania, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and France. The crew is Greek and Italian. |
| Deane reported from London. | Deane reported from London. |