Fire still raging on ferry near Sochi

4 Aug, 2007 09:30 / Updated 17 years ago

Attempts to put out a fire on board a Turkish cargo ferry off the coast of Sochi, which broke out early Friday, are continuing. The vessel was taken into neutral waters in the Black Sea after the crew was evacuated.

There were plans to sink the ferry but its captain insists on further efforts to put out the fire. While the ship itself is beyond repair, lots of the cargo it was carrying can be saved. Only the cars on the open deck have burnt down completely, while those parked in the hull are only partly damaged. It is feared there could be a fuel leak, but officials say there is no environmental threat. When the rescue operation is over, the vessel will be towed to the Turkish town of Trabzon to be recycled.