Five of the missing passengers of the burning Euroferry Olympia ship in Corfu were found alive.
At the same time, after a large operation, Greek rescuers managed to reach the garage of the Euroferry Olympia and free the Bulgarian and the Turk, who were trapped and surrounded by flames.
The rescuers had arrived on the ship by helicopter.
Three helicopters are operating, as well as specialised firefighting boats and a tug boat.
The operation, however, is difficult to do, since as George Glykofrydis, head of the Greek Rescue Team, told ERT, the ship is completely burning and the smoke is very dense.
In addition to the firefighting operation, searches at sea are underway to determine if any of the missing have drowned in the water.
The fire on the Euroferry Olympia, which had departed from Igoumenitsa at 01:30 in the morning bound for Brindisi, broke out at around 04:18 (then informed for the first time to the captain) and was immediately ordered to evacuate, which started at 05:14.
A large group was set up at the port of the Corfu Port Authority to receive passengers.
Σε εξέλιξη η επιχείρηση κατάσβεσης στο E/Γ-O/Γ Euroferry Olympia 🛳, στη θαλάσσια περιοχή ΒΑ της νήσου Ερεικούσσας. pic.twitter.com/qCfSJ64t1t
— Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα (@pyrosvestiki) February 18, 2022
Residents of the island also spoke about the sounds of explosions from the ferry.
According to the ship-owning company Grimaldi, the fire on its ship broke out in garage number three.
The company emphasises that personnel mobilised immediately to extinguish the fire and then, according to the prescribed procedures, the captain informed the competent Greek and Italian authorities and decided to abandon the ship.
The crew members are of Greek and Italian nationality and there were 32 vehicles in the garage.
The ship bears the flag of Italy and was launched in 1995.
READ MORE: “There were drivers sleeping in their trucks”: Shocking photos and testimonies from Euroferry Olympia blaze.
