The Italian vessel ‘Norman Atlantic’ has caught fire just off the Greek coast, prompting an emergency evacuation of its 466 passengers and crew.
The ship was sailing from Patra in Greece to Ancona, in Italy, when a blaze broke out on board.
The rescue operation is being carried out by both Greek and Italian emergency services. High winds in the area are reportedly hampering their efforts.
Some of the passengers were transferred to another ship that responded to the distress call, with further boats heading into the are to help with the rescue operation.
It has been reported that 150 passengers have already been rescued.