An official announcement of the dramatic moments aboard the flaming ship “Norman Atlantic” were issued by the shipping company.

The statement:

In the early hours of 28-12-2014 there was a fire on the Italian-owned and Italian flag-bearing passenger ferry “NORMAN ATLANTIC” belonging to company “VISEMAR di Navigazione SRI”, chartered by company ANEK SA, which was performing a trip from Patras-Igoumenitsa-Ancona, while it was 35 miles north of Corfu, in international waters.

There were 422 passengers and 56 crew members on board.

The evacuation of the ship is in progress and the shipping company, in cooperation with competent Italian and Greek authorities have undertaken operations.

The company will return with any new information.