A cargo ship operated by Blue Star Ferries was engulfed by flames on Friday off the coast of the Greek island of Mykonos, prompting the evacuation of all 29 people on board. The fire erupted on September 25 on the roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) vessel, which was on a scheduled service from the Piraeus port in Athens.
All 29 people on board at the time of the incident - 28 crew members and one passenger - were evacuated successfully. Blue Star Ferries confirmed that no one was injured.
Fire broke out in the ship's garages
The flames are believed to have started in the garages of the vessel, the 23,986-gt Blue Carrier 2, which was also carrying 166 trucks and 29 vehicles. Pictures show thick black smoke rising from the ship, with flames visible as the vessel sailed near waters visited by millions of people every year, including British tourists.
The Hellenic Coast Guard and firefighting speedboats responded to the incident after the flames erupted.
Firefighting efforts continued for hours
Firefighters worked for hours to extinguish the flames. On Friday afternoon, the fire was still burning below deck, according to eKathimerini. The news outlet reported that the tugboat Aigaion Pelagos was expected to reach the area by 5pm local time that day to support the operation.
The tug, capable of discharging some 2,500 cubic metres of water per hour, was accompanied by a specialised salvage team, the news outlet added.
