An extensive rescue operation was still in progress at mid-day on Sunday off the coast of Greece after a fire broke out this morning on a ferry. An operation that weather conditions - strong winds, torrential rain, waves of 6 meters high - complicated.
The ferry, Norman Atlantic, flying the Italian flag and chartered by the Greek company Anek, was on the Patras-Ancona route. According to Greek official figures, he was carrying 478 people.
A distress signal was sent while the boat was a few dozen kilometers from the island Othoni, near Corfu.
"We are on the bridge, we have cold and we cough because of the smoke," stated a joint passenger over the phone by a Greek media.
"This is one of the most complicated rescue operations we had to do," said the Greek Minister of Merchant Marine.
