The Greek authorities have arrested the captain of the shipwrecked ferry Europalink and his assistant, as announced by the Maritime Operational Centre of the Ministry of Merchant Marine. As we reported yesterday, the ferry flying under the Italian flag hit underwater rocks near the small island of Peristeres northeast of Corfu, at 2:00 am on Sunday. The ship was performing a regular voyagefrom the Greek port of Patras via Igoumenitsa to the Italian city of Ancona.
The causes of the wreck are still being investigated, but as a result of the accident the ship received two big holes on the right side of the hull and numerous smaller ones. Evacuation of the passengers and the crew was necessary, which fortunately ended without incident. On Sunday night, the withdrawal of the 366 cars on board the ferry was completed, among which there were 17 TIR trucks. The vessel got a tilt on one side from the holes and, upon the withdrawal of the cars, it was surrounded on both sides by the Coast Guard cutters for greater security.
The passengers and the crew were accommodated in hotels in Corfu at the expense of the company owner of the ship. At midnight on Sunday another ferry, Cruise Europa, of the same company took some of the passengers to transport them to their final destination - the Italian city of Ancona. The damaged ship will stay in port in Corfu until the failures are removed and until it receives sailing permission from the port authorities.
Later that day the captain and his assistant were questioned by a prosecutor. They face charges under art. 277 and art. 278 of the Penal Code for causing a collision inadvertently, due to which the life of the passengers was placed in danger. After questioning both detainees were released.
More details later
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