Greece firefighters try to extinguish ferry blaze

Firefighters on Friday used a small car ferry as a floating platform to help efforts to extinguish the fire on a burning vessel in the Ionian Sea near the Greek island of Corfu. Rescue specialists boarded the burning vessel to free two truck drivers who had been stranded inside the vessel for more than 15 hours Friday.

Hope was fading for 11 others who were reported missing. The coast guard said 278 passengers and crew had been rescued earlier in the day from a fire that engulfed the Italy-bound ferry with 291 people on board. The cause of the blaze was unclear. The rescued passengers were all transported to Corfu where 10 people were hospitalized.

None were in serious condition and most had breathing difficulties. Greek authorities said 239 passengers and 51 crew members on board, adding that the vessel was transporting more than 153 trucks and 32 cars. Most of the passengers were rescued buying Italian customs inspection boat.