Hundreds rescued after fire on ferry heading from Greece to Italy | News

Authorities say no immediate casualties reported on board the ferry that carried 237 passengers and 51 crew members.

Hundreds of people have been rescued from a ferry that caught fire between Greece and Italy, according to Greek authorities, and there were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

The Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia had sailed from Igoumenitsa, the largest port in western Greece, and was headed to the Italian port of Brindisi, about nine hours away. The fire, the cause of which was not immediately known, broke out near the island of Corfu in the Ionian Sea.

The coastguard said on Friday 237 passengers and 51 crew members were on board and police said three tugboats and three patrol boats were sent to help passengers during the rescue operation.

“The captain of the Euroferry Olympia asked the passengers to leave the boat,” police said.

All passengers were safe and on rescue boats, secretary of state for the Merchant Navy Kostas Katsafados told Greek radio station Skai.

A video uploaded on Greek news website Proto Thema showed a ferry engulfed in flames and huge plumes of smoke. “May Day” was blasting from speakers.

The passengers and crew, who evacuated on lifeboats, were being taken to Corfu, authorities said. Weather conditions in the area were mild.