CORFU – Fire-fighters continued to douse the “Euroferry Olympia” with water on Tuesday, for the fifth consecutive day, as it floated in the sea area of Cassiope, north of Corfu.

A search to locate the 10 persons on board the burning ship that are still missing will also be continued by EMAK search-and-rescue service officers, specialist officers of the Dutch company Smit Salvage and the Greek Megatugs salvage towage.

The operation to locate missing persons was interrupted late on Monday evening. There were still small fires, dense smoke and high temperatures inside the ship on Tuesday.

In two of the decks, where EMAK officers must operate with oxygen tanks and special uniforms, levels of carbon dioxide exceed 500 ppm (parts per million). Every operation inside the ship cannot last more than 30 minutes, while visibility is very limited.

The ship, due to the changing weather conditions in the sea area, may have to be moved again to a safer location, while it can only be towed to a commercial port, where it will be very thoroughly investigated by experts, once the fires are fully extinguished and the air inside is cleaner.