Hundreds rescued from ferry fire near Greek island

Authorities say more than 280 people have been evacuated from a ferry in northwestern Greece that caught fire overnight while heading to southern Italy

Greece Ferry Fire (INTIME NEWS)

More than 280 people have been evacuated from a ferry in northwestern Greece that caught fire overnight while heading to southern Italy, Greek authorities said.

At least one person was slightly injured during the evacuation, coast guard officials said. No one was reported missing, they said.

The predawn fire broke out Friday on the Italy-flagged Euroferry Olympia shortly after it left the port of Igoumenitsa in northwest Greece for the Italian port of Brindisi with 239 passengers and 51 crew members on board.

The ferry was traveling in the Ionian Sea near the small Greek island of Ereikousa, 15 kilometers north of the island of Corfu, when the fire started.

Images from local television channels of the ferry indicated the fire was extensive.

The rescued passengers were being transported to Corfu.

Six boats from Greece's coast guard and navy participated in the rescue along with four helicopters, an Italian customs inspection boat and several passing vessels, Senior coast guard official Nikos Lagadianos said.

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This version has been corrected to show the ferry is Italian-flagged, not Greek-owned.