The black box of the fire-stricken Norman Atlantic, the Italian-flagged ferry leased by Greek ANEK shipping company, failed to reveal the audio recordings as had been anticipated. Italian paper Corriere della Sera reported that the recordings were missing. The missing audio information from the black box hinders the process of finding those responsible for the fatal maritime accident on December 28 as authorities will not be able to assess whether the necessary evacuation procedure was followed properly.

A computer systems company has been recruited to examine the available information so far and retrieve all that is possible from the audio material, possibly ruined by the fire.

Italian authorities have yet to clear out decks 3 and 4 where the fire reportedly started. The opening of the ferry stern door would give direct access to the car hold where the fire broke out. Unfortunately, the high temperatures have destroyed the door and opening it would take a few more weeks.

Out of the several hundred passengers on the ferry traveling from Igoumenitsa in northwestern Greece to Ancona in Italy, 11 lost their lives and 18 are still missing. Two of the bodies recovered have yet to be identified.