A fire broke out on a ferry sailing from Greece to Italy on Friday with 288 people on board, the Greek coast guard said.
The Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia had sailed from Igoumenitsa, the largest port in western Greece, and was headed to the Italian port of Brindisi, about nine hours away.
The fire, the cause of which was not immediately known, broke out near the island of Corfu in the Ionian Sea.
A video uploaded on Greek news website Proto Thema showed a ferry engulfed in flames and huge plumes of smoke. "May Day" was blasting from speakers.
The coast guard said 237 passengers and 51 crew members were on board, and at least three coast guard vessels were involved in the rescue operation.
The passengers and crew, who evacuated on lifeboats, were being taken to Corfu, authorities said. Weather conditions in the area were mild.
There are local reports that the fire was started where vehicles are held on the ferry during the crossing and it could have begun in a lorry.
Deputy Minister of Shipping Kostas Katasafados told Skai TV that all passengers and crew members have been rescued from the vessel and that there are no injuries.
Governor of the Ionian Islands Rodi Kratsa has said that Corfu is preparing to receive the passengers and she has also reportedly confirmed that all the passengers are safe.
Port authorities in Greece say that vessels of the Greek Coast Guard were sent out to where the ship was on fire and that other boats that were in the vicinity also joined in the mass evacuation of the ferry.
In 2019, 538 passengers needed to be evacuated from a Greek ship that was heading to Venice in Italy.
On that occasion the fire was sparked by two lorries on board the Igoumenitsa and fortunately the blaze was quickly brought under control with all passengers safely rescued.
