A ferry caught fire while traveling over the Adriatic Sea yesterday, leaving seven people dead. The Italian coast guard says that, as of today, all passengers have been rescued.
According to CNN, about 150 of the over 400 passengers managed to escape the burning ferry in lifeboats in the first three hours after the fire began. However, when the vessel lost power, the remaining lifeboats were rendered useless, and passengers were left stranded. Helicopters were utilized during overnight rescue missions:
Helicopters with night vision equipment worked through the night to pull passengers off the ferry, one by one.
An Italian navy medical team boarded the ship to aid passengers, some of whom had been suffering hypothermia and smoke inhalation, the navy said. The already cold conditions were worsened by the spray from tugboat hoses as authorities attempted to douse the flames.
CNN adds that the Italian coast guard confirmed that there were no passengers left aboard the ferry. Of the five victims, one man reportedly died after falling into the water. The cause of the other six deaths remains unclear at this time.
UPDATE: According to CNN, the death toll has climbed to eight. The outlet adds that Italy's Minister of Transport, Maurizio Lupi, said 427 people have been rescued.
[via CNN]
