Three Georgians remain on the burning ferry in Adriatic Sea
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Five Georgian citizens are evacuated from a ferry, which caught fire near the Greek island of Corfu early this morning, but three Georgians and more than 200 passengers still remain on the burning ship.
Greek, Italian and Albanian rescuers were trying to save 423 passengers and 55 crew members throughout the whole night, after the Italian-flagged Normand Atlantic burned down and began to list to one side. At least 200 people were reported to be safely aboard rescue boats, leaving hundreds still on the ship.
According to the Georgian Ambassador to Italy Kakha Sikharulidze, three Georgian citizens s remained on the ship.
Sikharulidze said one of the Georgians was the head of a Georgian Monastery in Mtskheta, father Ilia Kartozia. Identities of the other two persons have not been revealed yet.
Currently the fire has been localized and the rescuers continue to evacuate of the passengers. Reportedly, at least one person has died during the accident. Many people, who have been rescued showed burning injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that dead body found today in the Adriatic Sea was identified as the priest Ilia Kartozia, the Head of a Monastery in Mtskheta.
Official Tbilisi expressed its immense condolences over the burnt ferry tragedy that caught fire off Greece's Adriatic Coast on December 28.
Georgian priest Ilia Kartozia drowned helping other passengers of Italian ferry Norman Atlantic as Georgian survivor of the tragedy says.
All expenses for the transportation and funeral of father Ilia Kartozia, who died during a fire on the Italian ferry in Adriatic Sea, will be covered by Georgian state.
The President of Georgia has awarded late Archimandrite Ilia Kartozia a posthumous award for his "exemplary civil devotion, heroism and extraordinary personal bravery" after he died while trying to save others in a ferry tragedy in the Adriatic Sea last year.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has paid tribute to late Archimandrite Ilia Kartozia, who died while trying to save others in a ferry tragedy in the Adriatic Sea last month.
A Georgian priest who died while trying to save others in a ferry tragedy in the Adriatic Sea last year has been honoured posthumously by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).