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Passenger ferry on fire off Greece

December 28, 2014

A ferry belonging to the Greek ferry line ANEK has reportedly caught fire en route from Greece to Italy. Rough seas and high winds were hampering rescue operations.

https://p.dw.com/p/1EAmA
Symbolbild Fähre Schiff Griechenland
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

A ferry carrying 466 passengers and crew caught fire on Sunday in the Adriatic Sea, coast guard officials say.

Greek coast guard officials said the Norman Atlantic, sailing from the port city of Patras in western Greece to the Italian port of Ancona, sent a distress signal from a position 33 nautical miles off the small island of Othonoi.

The fire broke out in the ship's garage and was quickly spreading through the ship, private broadcaster Mega said.

A helicopter and two rescue vessels were on their way to the area, and a container ship was nearby, according to the coast guard. No casualties have so far been reported.

The Norman Atlantic belongs to the Greek ferry line AKAK.

More to follow.

tj/bk (dpa, Reuters)