A catamaran and a wooden boat went up in flames at the main port of the Ionian island of Paxos on Thursday, triggering a large-scale response by firefighters and coast guard authorities.
Preliminary reports indicated that tourists were aboard one of the vessels when the fire broke out. All passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were immediately reported.
Coast guard personnel were working at the scene to prevent the fire from spreading and to secure the harbor area, authorities said.
Images from the scene showed thick smoke rising above the harbor as emergency crews worked to bring the fire under control. The incident caused disruptions at the port, a key gateway for visitors to the popular tourist island.
Authorities said the two vessels were completely destroyed. An investigation will be launched once firefighting operations are completed to determine how the blaze started.
