A Greek ferry heading to Chania in Crete and carrying over a thousand people has been evacuated after a major fire broke out on-board.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning on the lower car deck of the Eleftherios Venizelos, which was carrying over 200 vehicles. Smoke started billowing from the vessel, activating an automatic extinguishing mechanism, and saw people fleeing their cabins as the ferry attempted to make its way to land.
Footage taken by a passenger on board and released online shows smoke emerging beneath the deck.
The fire broke out as the ferry passed the small island of Agios Giorgos, 70 kilometers southeast of Piraeus, and was instructed to turn around.
There were 875 passengers and 141 crew members on board, all of whom made it out safe at Piraeus port thanks to a Navy frigate, nine boats, and other vessels which took part in the successful rescue operation, says the local coast guard. Mobile safety stairs were used to help passengers disembark safely.
“It was a huge operation and everything went to plan,” said Nikos Lagdianos, a spokesman for the coast guard, reports RT.
No injuries have been reported.
Watch the video footage below:
