How the Euroferry Olympia fire started - Efforts continue to find the 12 missing people

The first information about how the fire started was given by a representative of the company which owns the Euroferry Olympia, while the rescuers continue their efforts to locate the twelve missing people and to tow and extinguish the ship.

A representative from the company who gave an interview to Alpha, stated that the fire started from a truck which was in the ship's garage.

He clarified that this is the first information and that an investigation should be carried out to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Earlier, the captain and two engineers of the ferry were released after they testified to the Corfu Coast Guard about the conditions that prevailed on the ship before the fire broke out.

More specifically, the possibility of the offenses of shipwreck, arson and disturbing traffic safety was examined.

Efforts to tow the ship

Devastatingly, temperatures inside the ship reached 500-600 degrees Celsius, as reported by Greek City Times.

Dangerously, in its tanks of the Euroferry Olympia is more than 700 tons of fuel stored away.

The first efforts and plans for the towing of the ship are in progress, with workers of the port taking all the necessary actions in order to ensure that when it starts there will be no problem from the winds.

At the same time, the relatives of the 12 missing are anxious and complain about the ship-owning company for the "miserable conditions" that prevailed on Euroferry Olympia.

A typical example is Elias Gerontidakis, the son of a missing person, who spoke to ERT and explained that his father had contacted him and told him that he was not sure about the safety of the ship due to coronavirus and that he might stay in the truck.

He also complained that "this particular boat does not have many cabins and is not for trucks to enter," adding that "it is dirty and has bed bugs."

READ MORE: EUROFERRY OLYMPIA: The captain and two engineers brought before prosecutors.