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Efforts to extinguish the fire that has been burning since yesterday morning on board the Euroferry Olympia off Corfu continue.
According to the latest information, the ship has already been moored by a tugboat to avoid the risk of being swept away.
Salvage companies, which have rushed in cooperation with the authorities, have started to move the ship to a safer place so that it is protected in case the weather takes a turn for the worse.
At the moment the conditions are favorable for the fire brigade boat to transport it as while it is offshore there is a fear that it will run aground in the shoals or bump into another ship.
At the same time, the fire on the ship is still being extinguished by the tugs as well as the firefighting vessels of the Fire Brigade.
As the ship is being towed north of Corfu, temperatures on board are "reaching" 550 degrees Celsius. The main concern is both to extinguish the fire and to prevent the ship from sinking.
Concern about the fuel Temperature inside the ship at 550°C
Apart from the trapped people for whom the search will continue when the flames burning inside the ship stop burning, there is also concern about the ship's fuel as there is a risk of major environmental damage and pollution of the sea.
The Euroferry Olympia "carries" around 700 tonnes of fuel and if the fire is not extinguished, the fuel cannot be pumped out by the relevant companies.
According to the latest measurement taken inside the ship, its temperature is at 550 degrees Celsius.
At present, rescuers are unable to board the ship as the fire burning inside does not allow them to do so. For the moment, efforts to extinguish the fire are ongoing so that the search for the missing persons inside can continue.
Around the ship there is anti-fouling equipment and boats in the sea area to protect the marine environment from any spillage of fuel into the sea.
Around the ship there is anti-fouling equipment and boats in the sea area to protect the marine environment from any spillage of fuel into the sea. For this reason an experienced special rescue team consisting of 14 people is in the area. These are lifeguards from MEGATUGS and SMIT Salvage who are in the area in order to carry out the work in the best and safest way.
The Navy frigate "Hydra" is also at the site.
The captain and two engineers of the burning ship
Statements on the fire on the passenger ferry "Euroferry Olympia", the captain and two crew members were asked to give evidence on Saturday to the Port Authority of Corfu.
According to the port authorities, "it is the standard procedure that is followed after these incidents," while it was clarified that the statements were sent to the Corfu prosecutor, who in turn gave a verbal order for all three to be released.
Captain and crew members, after the procedure followed were transferred to one of the four hospitality hotels activated for the ship's survivors.
To this moment, no order for arrest has been given to the Port Authority of the island.
It should be noted that the captain and the crew members of the ship "Euroferry Olympia", arrived yesterday early in the afternoon at the port of OLKE together with the rescued people with the Italian vessel "Gardia di Finanza" of the financial police of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, (Frontex), which was at the scene of the tragic incident as it was following the same ferry route to Italy.
Urgent preliminary examination
According to information, the prosecutor is expected to order an urgent preliminary examination.
The urgent preliminary examination, which will be conducted by the Central Port Authority of Corfu under the supervision of two deputy prosecutors, Ms Koskinari and Mr. Iliopoulos, and the supervision of the head of the Corfu Prosecutor's Office, Mr. Lambrides, will examine whether the offences of arson and disturbing the safety of public transport have been committed.
The prosecutors have given ten guidelines to the members of the Central Port Authority who will carry out the investigation including conducting an autopsy in order to examine the causes that caused the catastrophic fire, also to take sworn statements from all the survivors and other witnesses who saw what happened and started this fire, ie. The fishermen who were there.
Sources: Proto Thema / in.gr
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