Rescue teams in Greece searched a burning ferry Saturday for 12 people believed to be missing after it caught fire in the Ionian Sea while en route to Italy, while passengers described a frightening evacuation from the ship.
After working all night to try to extinguish the blaze that broke out Friday, firefighting vessels surrounded the Euroferry Olympia, which was carrying more than 290 passengers and crew.
The Greek coast guard and other boats evacuated about 280 of them to Corfu.
“When we got into the boats, I said ‘I escaped hell,’” truck driver Dimitris Karaolanidis said.
Photos taken Saturday morning showed thick smoke hanging over the ship, which was transporting 153 trucks and 32 cars.
A Greek coast guard spokeswoman said on Saturday afternoon that none of the 12 missing people had been found, although she said only small pockets of fire were active in the ferry.
