Italian broadcaster RAI reported that there are another four dead people at the garage of Norman Atlantic according to a witness report that is still not verified. A huge rescue operation is underway to rescue the 143 people still on board the ship after a fire broke out at the ferry’s car deck at dawn on Sunday.

335 of the 478 people have been rescued so far according to the Greek Coast Guard. Greek and Italian Super Puma helicopters are currently involved in the difficult rescue taking at with wind velocity at 6-7 Beaufort. Meteorologists say that a storm should be expected in the area over the coming hours, however the situation should improve towards midday. So far, towering waves have hindered the rescue efforts that are tedious and have already resulted in one death.

Reports state that nobody has been injured on board, even though a number of evacuees have suffered burns to their feet due to the heat on board.

An analytic record of the nationalities of people on board the Norman Atlantic:

Greeks – 234 people
Turks – 54 people
Albanian – 22 people
Italians – 22 people
Germans – 18 people
Swiss – 10 people
French – 9 people
Georgian – 8 people
Bulgarian – 7 people
Austrians – 6 people
Syrian – 5 people
Belgian – 3 people
Dutch – 3 people
FYROM – 3 people
Afghan – 2 people
British – 2 people
Hungarians – 2 people
Iraqis – 2 people
Russians – 2 people
Ukraine – 2 people
Canadian – 1 person
Croatian – 1 person
Egyptian – 1 person
Malthese – 1 person
Romanian – 1 person
Swiss – 1 person

The Italian Coast Guard told Proto Thema that the captain of the Norman Atlantic is still on board.