Smoke rises from the Eleftherios Venizelos ferry as tugboats and firefighting vessels surround the ferry during a fire, at the port of Piraeus, Greece, August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
ATHENS, August 29 (Reuters) - A passenger ferry with 1,016 people onboard arrived at the port of Piraeus in the early hours on Wednesday after it reported a fire while en route to Chania, on the island of Crete, and was forced to return, the Greek coast guard said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, a coast guard official told Reuters.
The Eleftherios Venizelos, carrying 875 passengers and 141 crew, was sailing off the island of Hydra when it notified the coast guard around midnight (2100 GMT) that a car parking compartment had caught fire.
The ferry has docked in Piraeus and passengers are leaving the vessel, the official said.
A Reuters witness saw passengers in lifejackets walking down a sideway stair, while fumes were still coming out of the ship. Firefighters were deployed at the pier.
[caption id="attachment_395036" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Passengers disembark from the Eleftherios Venizelos ferry following a fire, at the port of Piraeus, Greece, August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_395037" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Passengers, who were onboard the Eleftherios Venizelos ferry during a fire, are transferred outside the terminal at the port of Piraeus, Greece, August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_395038" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Passengers who were onboard the Eleftherios Venizelos ferry during a fire, wait to be transported to another terminal at the port of Piraeus, Greece, August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_395039" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Passengers who were onboard the Eleftherios Venizelos ferry during a fire, wait to be transported to another terminal at the port of Piraeus, Greece, August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_395040" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Smoke rises as passengers are seen on the deck of the Eleftherios Venizelos ferry during a fire, at the port of Piraeus, Greece, August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_395041" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Smoke rises from the Eleftherios Venizelos ferry as a firefighting vessel tries to extinguish a fire on the ferry, at the port of Piraeus, Greece, August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_395042" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
A tugboat approaches the damaged Eleftherios Venizelos ferry during a fire on the ferry, at the port of Piraeus, Greece, August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis[/caption]
