Sea Carriage Security

Italian authorities fail to clarify fate of 98 passengers from wrecked ferry

World

 December 31, 20:10 UTC+3
Ferry Norman Atlantic caught fire last Sunday, on December 28, about 74 kilometers west of Corfu Island

© EPA/RENATO INGENITO

ROME, December 31. /TASS/. Italian authorities do not have any information about the fate of 98 people who were on board ferry Norman Atlantic, that was wrecked not far from Greek island Corfu, Prosecutor of Italian city of Bari Giuseppe Volpe who is supervising the investigation, said on Wednesday.

Around 40 were earlier reported missing. Eighty rescued people were brought to Greece, he said. “Meanwhile, there are no news from the second merchant ship engaged in the rescue operation,” Volpe said. He did not rule out earlier that new casualties might be found on the ferry. Meanwhile, the prosecutor recalled that several merchant ships which might carry survivors were engaged in the rescue operation.

Military frigate San Giorgio that was participating in the salvation of passengers has brought more than 200 to southern Italian port of Brindisi on Tuesday evening. Another 39 are on the way to the port of Taranto. As many as 427 from 499 were evacuated from burning ferry Norman Atlantic, the Bari prosecutor’s office said.

According to latest reports, 11 died in the sea tragedy. Meanwhile, another two Albanians who helped cleaning up the aftermath of the wreckage died.

Ferry Norman Atlantic caught fire last Sunday, on December 28, about 74 kilometers west of Corfu Island. The ferryboat was on the way from Greek port Patras to Italian port of Ancona.

Source: http://itar-tass.com/en/world/770185