Italy coastguard says stricken ferry now evacuated, death toll 7

[ROME] The evacuation of a ferry that caught fire off the coast of Greece has been completed and two more corpses have been found, bringing the death toll seven, Italy's coastguard said on Monday.

The ferry was sailing from Patros in western Greece to Ancona in Italy carrying 478 passengers and more than 200 vehicles when a fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday.

Italian and Greek helicopter crews have been airlifting passengers from the upper deck of the Norman Atlantic, which was chartered by Greek ferry operator Anek Lines, since Sunday afternoon.

Italy's navy said that the Italian captain was the last of the crew to the leave the ship.

REUTERS