The Euroferry Olympia will be towed to port in Platygiali, Greece, where a search will continue for ten people still missing after the Ro-Ro caught fire last week.
To remind, Euroferry Olympia was about 10 miles north of the island of Corfu when the fire broke out in one of the ship’s three garage decks during a voyage from Igoumenitsa, Greece to the Port of Brindisi in Italy.
According to Grimaldi Group, the vessel was carrying 239 passengers and 51 crew members along with 153 commercial vehicles, and 32 passenger vehicles at the time of the fire.
Rescuers from the Italian Guardia di Finanza and Greek Coast Guard have rescued hundreds of people from the burning vessel, but thirteen had initially remained missing.
Over the weekend, two survivors were located in the vessel, but later in the day searchers also found a body in the cabin of a truck, leaving 10 still missing.
Grimaldi Group has also responded to allegations from the Greek Union of Professional Truck Drivers that the vessel was in poor condition, stating that the ferry had undergone a Port State Control inspection, including smoke detection and firefighting systems, on February 16th by Greek authorities.
The company also noted that passenger access to the garage decks is strictly forbidden during navigation, according to international safety regulations.
If any truck driver decides fraudulently to hide himself in his truck, this behaviour is a flagrant offense against International Regulations and Grimaldi rules which can put at risk his own and the ship’s safety
the company said
Grimaldi Group has appointed the Dutch company SMIT Salvage, part of Boskalis, for the salvage operation.
