Athens, Feb 18 (AP) Greek authorities say firefighters and rescue specialists are racing to try and free two truck drivers stranded inside a burning ferry off western Greece, while 11 others have been reported missing.

The coast guard said Friday 278 passengers and crew had been rescued from a fire that engulfed the Italy-bound ferry Euroferry Olympia with 291 people on board near the Greek island of Corfu.

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Officials said two truck drivers were stranded on the burning vessel awaiting a helicopter rescue that required assistance from Fire Department special forces due to the thick smoke that continued to billow out of the vessel.

The rescued passengers were transported to Corfu where 10 people were hospitalised. None were in serious condition and most had breathing difficulties.

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The predawn fire broke out in the Ionian Sea on the Italy-flagged Euroferry Olympia three hours after it left the port of Igoumenitsa in northwest Greece for the Italian port of Brindisi. Greek authorities said 239 passengers and 51 crew members on board, adding that the vessel was transporting more than 153 trucks and 32 cars.

The 183-metre (600-foot) ferry, built in 1995, is operated by the Grimaldi Group, based in Naples, Italy. It was travelling near the small Greek island of Ereikousa, 15 km north of Corfu, when the fire started. Helicopter video released by the Greek coast guard showed thick smoke billowing from the vessel hours after the rescue started.

Six boats from Greece's coast guard and navy participated in the rescue effort along with four helicopters, an Italian customs inspection boat and several passing vessels, senior coast guard official Nikos Lagadianos said. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)