One man died trying to escape a burning ferry in the Adriatic Sea on Sunday afternoon , and hundreds more were awaiting rescue as night fell on the beleaguered vessel . Rescue crews worked into the night to airlift passengers by helicopter from the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic , which caught on fire Sunday morning off the coast of Greece . In the early hours of Monday morning , the Italian Coast Guard confirmed that 201 people had been rescued . It 's believed 276 are still on board the burning vessel . The fire has been contained , but smoke and weather conditions hindered extracting passengers in metal baskets from the ferry . They are being transported to merchant ships and an Italian Navy transport dock , from where they will eventually continue on to the Italian port of Brindisi or hospitals . Passengers suffering from smoke inhalation and hypothermia will be brought to hospitals in southern Italy , the Italian Coast Guard said . With rescue efforts under way , the focus of Italian and Greek media is shifting to the cause of the blaze , which is believed to have started in the ship 's parking bay . At least one truck driver told the Greek news media that trucks filled with oil were `` packed like sardines , '' cargo scraping the ceiling , which could have set off sparks in rough seas to start a fire , he surmised . Those remaining on board awaited rescue on the upper deck -- `` dying of cold and suffocating from the smoke '' even as their feet were `` burning '' from the fire 's heat , said a Greek passenger who called Italy 's state broadcaster RAI TV . The disaster made national headlines in Greece , Italy and other countries with citizens aboard the ferry . In a Sunday morning public address , Pope Francis offered `` affection and prayers '' to those affected by the Norman Atlantic ferry fire as well as a collision in the Adriatic Sea between two merchant ships . Thick clouds of smoke enveloped the vessel earlier Sunday as rescuers awaited an opportunity to approach . At least eight ships were deployed , but heavy winds and freezing waters kept them at bay , making evacuation by air the only feasible option . Turkish diplomatic personnel are heading to Igoumenitsa , the likely port for evacuated passengers , according to a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement . Turkish citizens were among the passengers , with Greeks and Italians making up the majority .
Number rescued climbs to 201 ; there are 276 still on board . At least one person is dead after jumping off Norman Atlantic ferry . The Norman Atlantic was carrying almost 500 people and more than 200 vehicles . - July 22 : A fire breaks out in a warehouse at the Port of Los Angeles, California.