A fire broke out aboard the Greek flagged Ro Ro cargo vessel BLUE CARRIER 2 north of Mykonos on Friday morning, prompting a major response from Greek authorities.
The blaze reportedly started at around 9am inside one of the vessel’s garages, with authorities investigating whether a truck may have been the source.
There were 29 people on board, including 28 crew members and one truck driver. All were evacuated into the ship’s lifeboats and later picked up by passing vessels before being safely transported to Tinos.
No deaths or injuries have been reported.
Dramatic footage from inside the vessel shows crew members attempting to battle the flames as smoke filled parts of the ship.
The BLUE CARRIER 2 was built in 1997 and is approximately 162.5 metres long. At the time of the incident, it was carrying 166 trucks and 29 cars.
Firefighting response
The Greek Fire Service deployed four marine assets to the scene.
Two high speed firefighting boats from Syros and Lavrio are operating in the area, while two additional fireboats are travelling from Piraeus.
A Fire Service helicopter has also been deployed to monitor the situation, while surveillance aircraft are providing continuous images to authorities.
With everyone safely evacuated, the focus has shifted to containing the fire, managing the condition of the vessel and preventing any potential impact on the marine environment.
Attica Group has said it has assigned specialised companies to assist with the necessary measures following the incident, including environmental protection and the management of the vessel, in coordination with the relevant authorities.
The tug and salvage vessel AIGAION PELAGOS, approximately 70 metres long and equipped with firefighting and salvage capabilities, was also expected to arrive at the scene.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
