Athens, Europe Brief News – Greek firefighters have resumed the search for survivors from last week’s ferry fire that killed a truck driver.
The boat was sailing from Igoumenitsa in Greece to Brindisi in Italy with nearly 300 people on board.
At least 10 people are still missing after a fire ripped through the vessel they were on board.
They were later identified as seven Bulgarians, two Greeks and one Turk.
The missing persons reportedly slept in their vehicles, because cabins on the ferry were unsuitable.
“It is a very difficult operation,” a fire department spokeswoman told the AFP news agency on Monday.
More than 40 firefighters were taking part in the search and rescue operation with tugboats and coastguard vessels on standby.
“There is major thermal stress and a lot of smoke,” the spokeswoman said.
Most of the passengers quickly left the boat, and a 21-year-old Belarusian truck driver emerged alive on Sunday.
One of the Passengers said “ We wake up around 4:20 am, within an hour we had left the ship.
According to the Company’s Website, the ferry was part of fleet group Grimaldi line. It can facilitate up to 560 passengers.
Grimaldi Spokesperson said “The cause of the fire is still under investigation. But, many said it started from the ship’s hold”.
He further added that the Damage is dreadful because despite all the efforts of the crew, they were unable to extinguish the fire.
The last fire on board a ship in the Adriatic occurred in December 2014 on the Italian ferry Norman Atlantic, in which 13 people died.
