Heat, smoke delay search of Greek ferry for bodies

Smoke billows from the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic ferry after that was towed into the port of Brindisi, southern Italy, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015. For a second day, fierce heat from a slow-burning blaze kept firefighters and other investigators on Saturday from searching the hold and vehicle decks of a Greek ferry for more bodies. At least 11 people perished in the pre-dawn blaze on Dec. 28 aboard the Norman Atlantic, on a voyage between Greece and Italy. Authorities fear more bodies might be inside the vehicle deck where the fire began. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Smoke billows from the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic ferry after that was towed into the port of Brindisi, southern Italy, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015. For a second day, fierce heat from a slow-burning blaze kept firefighters and other investigators on Saturday from searching the hold and vehicle decks of a Greek ferry for more bodies. At least 11 people perished in the pre-dawn blaze on Dec. 28 aboard the Norman Atlantic, on a voyage between Greece and Italy. Authorities fear more bodies might be inside the vehicle deck where the fire began. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

By Associated Press January 3, 2015 2 min read

BRINDISI, Italy (AP) – For a second day, fierce heat from a slow-burning blaze kept firefighters and other investigators on Saturday from searching the hold and vehicle decks of a Greek ferry for more bodies.

At least 11 people perished in the pre-dawn blaze on Dec. 28 aboard the Norman Atlantic, on a voyage between Greece and Italy. Authorities fear more bodies might be inside the vehicle deck where the fire began.

The ferry was towed into the Italian port of Brindisi on Friday morning. Port Capt. Mario Valente said Saturday that temperatures were “very high” inside the deck. Smoke still poured from the wreck.

In early evening, Bari Prosecutor Ettore Cardinali told journalists that no bodies were found during a search of some of the passenger cabins and some deck areas.

“There is still the danger of fire,” Cardinali said. “Therefore, we still enter very carefully, little by little. It is still an initial search.”