Norman Atlantic rescuers awarded for their effort

Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis and Defense Minister Nikos Dendias (photo) on Wednesday awarded 42 members of the Hellenic Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard for their contribution to rescuing passengers from the Norman Atlantic passenger ferry which caught fire off the coast of Corfu on December 28, killing at least 12 people.

The outgoing ministers hailed the high level of operational readiness, efficiency, patriotism and self-sacrifice of the rescuers.