4 more maritime
officers under investigation in Greek ferry fire. the FERRY’S car deck had too many vehicles
that were loaded with fuel. the vehicles
were rubbing WITH the ferry walls, potentially creating sparks and starting the
fire.
By
PAOLO SANTALUCIA
Associated Press
Associated Press
BRINDISI,
Italy (AP) - Four more maritime officials were put under formal investigation
Friday as a charred ferry was towed into the Italian port of Brindisi and
authorities prepared to search it for possible more dead.
The
blaze that broke out Sunday and torched the Norman Atlantic ferry has killed at
least 11 people. Italy says 477 people were rescued, most by helicopters that
plucked survivors off the top deck in gale-force winds and carried them to
nearby boats.
The
probe into the disaster widened Friday. In addition to the ship's captain and
the head of the company that built the ferry - both Italians - the prosecutor's
office in Bari put two other crew members and two representatives of the Greek
ferry line Anek, which rented the Norman Atlantic, under investigation, the
Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Towing
the ferry overnight across the choppy seas of the Adriatic took 17 hours.
Tugboat
company owner Giuseppe Barretta told The Associated Press in Brindisi that
firefighters and a prosecutor will be the first to go aboard later Friday to
search it in case there are any bodies on board as well as begin inspection for
what caused the blaze.
Prosecutors
fear unregistered migrants were smuggled aboard in trucks and might have
perished in the flames and smoke.
Italian newspapers, reportedly quoting
from transcripts of the ferry captain's questioning Wednesday by prosecutors,
said Capt. Argilio Giacomazzi told prosecutors that crews didn't properly
follow his orders in lowering the lifeboats and that the car deck had too many
vehicles that
were loaded with fuel. the vehicles were
rubbing WITH the ferry walls, potentially creating sparks and starting the
fire.
Bari
prosecutors have declined to say what the captain told them, citing laws
governing investigations.