A major maritime incident unfolded off the coast of the popular Greek tourist island of Mykonos this week, after a Greek-flagged cargo ship caught fire, sending large plumes of smoke billowing into the sky above the Aegean Sea.
The Hellenic Coastguard, Greece’s national maritime safety agency, confirmed in an official statement that all 29 people on board the vessel have been successfully evacuated using the ship’s own lifeboats. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far, according to initial emergency response updates.
Emergency teams were dispatched to the scene shortly after the fire was reported, with coastguard vessels on site to monitor the situation and assist with the evacuation operation. The cause of the blaze has not yet been confirmed, and investigations into how the fire started are already underway. Local authorities have noted that the fire is contained to the cargo hold of the vessel, and assessments of environmental damage are ongoing to determine whether any fuel leaks from the ship have impacted surrounding waters.