Ferry Fire Kills 10 Stowaways

At least 10 illegal immigrants died in a fire Nov. 2 on the vehicle deck of an Italy-bound Greek ferry with more than 400 people aboard and a search was under way for more bodies, according to the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry. The bodies were found in the garage level of the Superfast 3 ferry, where a fire broke out shortly after the ship sailed from Patras in Greece for Italy's Adriatic Seaport of Ancona. All 307 passengers and most of the 106 crew were evacuated by coast guard vessels and other civilian ships in the area, and the fire was quickly put under control. At first, the ministry said there were no casualties, but when firemen inspected the damage they discovered dead bodies -- believed to be illegal Kurdish immigrants hiding in the garage, who had suffocated from the smoke.