All 29 evacuated as fire guts ferry Blue Carrier 2 off Mykonos
A fire on the vehicle ferry Blue Carrier 2 off Mykonos forced the evacuation of all 29 people aboard on Friday; no one was hurt.
A fire aboard the Greek-flagged Ro-Ro vehicle ferry Blue Carrier 2 forced the evacuation of all 29 people aboard north of the island of Mykonos on Friday morning, with no injuries reported.
The 29 evacuees — 28 crew members and one truck driver — were taken to the nearby island of Tinos after at least five coast guard vessels and two firefighting speedboats joined the rescue operation, the coast guard said.
The blaze reportedly started at around 08:57 local time in a truck inside the vessel’s No. 4 garage, with explosions heard from the area, while the ship was sailing from Piraeus to Vathy in Samos after calling at Syros on Friday morning. The 23,986-gross-tonnage ferry, built in 1997 and operated by Attica Group under the Blue Star Ferries brand, was carrying 166 trucks and 29 cars.
A company official confirmed no one was hurt, saying the crew followed safety procedures and attempted to fight the fire with the vessel’s own equipment before requesting assistance.
As of Friday afternoon the fire had not been brought under control and flames had spread to other parts of the vessel. Attica Group said it had contracted specialist firms for salvage and environmental protection, working with the competent authorities. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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