(Reuters) — Two Albanian seamen were killed during an operation to salvage a multi-deck car ferry two days after it caught fire in rough seas off Greece’s Adriatic Coast, a port authority official said on Tuesday (December 30).
The deaths add to a toll of 10 confirmed victims of the disaster, which prompted a 36-hour rescue operation during which Italian and Greek helicopters airlifted more than 400 people from the smouldering hulk of the Norman Atlantic.
The two men were part of an eight-strong crew which had been towing the gutted ferry overnight.
A cable connecting their tugboat to the wreck broke on Tuesday morning, causing the deadly incident.
Albania’s Defence Ministry had confirmed one death, saying the other man was in critical condition.
The ministry said the two men were not part of its forces.
Footage released by the Italian Navy showed the ongoing rescue and salvage operation that continued overnight on Monday and into Tuesday morning.
Italian and Albanian magistrates have ordered the Italian-flagged ferry, which was chartered by Greek ferry operator Anek Lines, to be seized to investigate the cause of the fire.
Italy’s Transport Ministry said on Monday (December 29), that Italy and Albania were deciding together where the vessel should be towed.
Italian media reported on Tuesday that the ship was bound for Albania.
Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi refused on Monday to confirm a Greek report saying 38 people were still missing, saying to do so would be premature.
Some of those rescued were not on the ship’s original manifest, and Lupi said Italian authorities are looking for a definitive list of passengers to cross-check it with the names of the survivors, adding illegal migrants may have been on board.
A merchant ship carrying a reported 49 passengers arrived in the Italian port of Bari on Monday, and the Italian navy’s amphibious transport ship was due to arrive in Italy carrying survivors later on Tuesday.
The Italian captain, Argilio Giacomazzi, abandoned ship after all the others had been evacuated.
