Three truck drivers likely ferry victims

(See related) (ANSA) - Bari, December 30 - Three truck drivers from Naples were likely the Italian victims of the fire aboard the ferry Norman Atlantic, which took 10 lives and forced the evacuation of 427 people, according to sources close to the investigation. The bodies were said to be on the ship San Giorgio. Earlier, the Coast Guard said that three Italians were among the victims of the fiery ferry disaster.
    The Coast Guard sent the information in a post on its Twitter feed.
    Relatives and colleagues of the three men were waiting in Bari for the ship to arrive and sources said they had made an initial photo identification.
    The names of the three Neapolitan drivers who appeared to be among the missing in the diaster were Carmine Balsano, Giovanni Rinaldi, and Michele Riccardo. Meanwhile, prosecutors in Bari said they were seizing private phones from the ferry Norman Atlantic as part of their probe into the disaster. That includes investigating allegations of homicide and causing a shipwreck against the captain and owner of the multi-deck car ferry that caught fire early Sunday.
    Intelligence sources said Tuesday that the damaged ferry was being towed towards Albania.
    Although Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Monday all were evacuated from the car ferry, Greek media reported some 38 people were still missing.
    Italian authorities say it is difficult to pin down precise numbers because not everyone who reserved a place on the ferry, which was travelling to Italy from Greece, showed up. Stowaways were also possible.
    Helicopter crews had been brought in to rescue passengers and crew members from the ferry.
    However, rough seas and stormy weather hampered the rescue effort that continued through Sunday and into the next day.
    The death toll continued to rise as investigators took stock of the disaster and began a probe of how the fire started.
    Rescued passengers were treated for hypothermia from the cold and wet.
    But continued bad weather and rough seas on Tuesday hampered the arrival in the port of Manfredonia of 39 people rescued from the ferry disaster.
    The group were on board a merchant ship and were expecting to land in Manfredonia, in Italy's southern Puglia region. Reports say that two members of the group have minor injuries with the rest said to be in good condition.
    Also, two Albanian sailors were killed Tuesday and another seriously injured as their tug boat towed the stricken ferry.