Fire Breaks Out on Board Greek Ferry, Passengers Evacuated

A roll-on/roll-off passenger ship carrying more than 1,000 people on board caught fire while it was en route to Chania, Greece, in the early morning hours of August 29.

The fire occurred in a car parking compartment of Eleftherios Venizelos while the ship was sailing between the islands of Hydra and Ag. Georgiou, the Hellenic Fire Service said.

On August 28, the ferry, carrying 875 passengers, 140 crew members and more than 200 vehicles, left the Port of Piraeus, heading for the Port of Chania.

Once the incident was reported, a number of coast guard, navy and commercial vessels was mobilized to assist the 38,261-ton Eleftherios Venizelos.

Escorted by the country’s coast guard, the 1992-built vessel returned to the Port of Piraeus.

Upon the arrival of the ship, all passengers were safely disembarked and several firefighting units started extinguishing the fire.

No injuries and no polution have been reported.

An investigation into the incident has been launched, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.

World Maritime News Staff