Fire on Italian Ferry off Greece Leaves 10 People Dead

Deaths at sea have made headlines in recent years with disasters on cruise liners and ferries claiming lives.

I was saddened to read about the emerging details of a fire on a ferry off the Greek island of Corfu. In the maritime community of Hampton Roads, we are always conscious of the potential for disaster on vessels.

The BBC reported the death toll in the wake of a fire on the Norman Atlantic ferry off Corfu has now risen to 10, with the evacuation of all those on board now complete.

The report said one man was killed as he attempted to escape the ship, and a further nine bodies have since been discovered.

More than 400 people were rescued after the fire amid gale-force winds and thick billowing smoke. Media reports said it’s not clear if other people are still missing on the ferry. The Italian authorities stated they could not verify the actual number of people originally on board.

The ferry company running the route from the Greek city of Patras to Ancona in Italy said a total of 478 people had been on the ship when it left.

Italian Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi stated that only 427 had been accounted for to date, but added that it was the responsibility of the port of departure to verify actual passenger numbers.

Ferry disasters have made headlines in recent years. In April, a South Korean ferry sank, killing more than 300 people. The captain was recently sentenced to 36 years in prison for deserting his ship and its passengers in a fatal crisis. But he was acquitted of murder, infuriating family members of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

In 2012, the cruise industry was rocked by the Costa Concordia tragedy off Italy. The captain is accused of causing the ship to hit rocks and getting off the vessel before many passengers. The capsizing of the liner left 32 people dead.

I am always horrified by the scale of tragedies at sea. While accidents occur frequently on the roads, typically more people are killed in tragedies at sea or in the air.

If you have lost a loved one in an accident on land, sea or in the air, another party may be responsible. Call our Virginia wrongful death attorneys at 757.455.0077 or see CooperHurley.com.