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Greek coastguard: Cargo ship was not actually in danger - it was just asking for supplies

A passenger called emergency services to tell them they had no food, water or blankets.

Updated 7pm

THE GREEK COASTGUARD has said a freighter believed to be carrying hundreds of migrants did not actually issue a distress call earlier today – a passenger just called to ask for supplies.

Earlier today, the Greek navy and rescue helicopters were dispatched to the area, northwest of Corfu island after it was thought the Blue Sky M was in trouble. Local media also reported that there were armed men on board.

The vessel was sailing in bad weather and it was thought there could be some issue with the engine.

However the coastguard has now said that the ship does not require any assistance. A passenger made a call to emergency services to tell them there was no food, water or blankets on board for the 400 migrants.

The coastguard also told the BBC that the vessel is now under Italian jurisdiction and that its inspections found no fault with it.

However Italy’s air force is still planning to land on the ship as a precaution to make sure the situation is under control, The Telegraph reports. Though the Greek coastguard said it does not believe the ship is carrying would-be illegal immigrants, the Italian coastguard still suspects it is.

This incident comes two days after a Greek passenger ferry with more than 400 people on board caught fire in the same area, leading to a huge rescue operation by Italian and Greek coast guard and military officials. At least 10 people died in that incident, while more than 400 were rescued.

Authorities are still searching for potential missing passengers from the Norman Atlantic ferry.

The Greek frigate Navarino, which is heading to locate the cargo ship, had been in the area assisting in the rescue operation for the Norman Atlantic.

© – AFP 2014 with reporting from AP and Michelle Hennessy.

Read: Confusion over how many passengers survived Norman Atlantic ferry fire

Read: ‘I watched my husband die…I tried to save him but I couldn’t’

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    Mute austin finn
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    Jun 13th 2012, 6:07 PM

    I`m surprised a bigger issue hasn`t been made out of Italy helping to bailout Spain. Really interesting video from Nigel Farrage. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/farage-euro-titanic-has-now-hit-iceberg

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    Mute Paul
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    Jun 13th 2012, 7:13 PM

    We’ve been totally had.

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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    Jun 13th 2012, 6:49 PM

    General Charles Pinckney recounts the devastating collapse of the US first fiat currency ‘The Continental’:

    “With regard to Mr. Lowndes’s question ‘What harm had paper money done?’ General Pinckney answered, that he wondered that gentleman should ask such a question, as he had told the house that he had lost fifteen thousand guineas by depreciation; but he would tell the gentleman what further injuries it had done – it had corrupted the morals of the people; it had diverted them from the paths of honest industry to the ways of ruinous speculation; it had destroyed both public and private credit, and had brought total ruin on numberless widows and orphans.”

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    Mute Patrick Minford
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    Jun 13th 2012, 7:21 PM

    Nigel Farage explains the Spanish bailout

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN_1mF-3JTI&feature=youtu.be

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    Mute Martin Dorgan
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    Jun 13th 2012, 8:18 PM

    Different scenario IMF not involved at present.austerity measures are having a. Big effect in Spain especially on Youth Unemployment 50% and. More in some places. Unemployment needs to be tackled across the whole EU and The UKIP group have always been negative towards ANY solution . Farage is a fine speaker but so was Hitlernn

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    Mute Charley Melia
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    Jun 14th 2012, 11:59 AM

    It really is long passed the time to see “The Markets”, “The IMF”, “The European Central Bank”, “The ratings Agencies” and the rest of the leeching commercial banks for what they really are. These slumdogs are really the heart of the problem. If you take all of these out of the equation, the problems disappear. They are of no real use to anyone accept themselves. They make nothing and contribute nothing at all to society or to human kind. They exist to fuel their own greed and create wealth out of nothing. They serve no use and have no industrial endeavour that forwards mankind in any way what so ever.They are indeed a horrible boil on the arse of humanity as are the people who work in them…… We either deal with boil and lance it or we continue down this horrible route which does nothing for Europe, Its citizens, Its history, Its future or its lofty ideals….. Can we just come together as a European society and deal with this parasitic cesspit of undesirables once and for all…… There you go rant over.

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    Mute Gregory Pym
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    Jun 14th 2012, 1:03 PM

    Well said. Why must joe average sustain a parasite industry which contributes nothing to society.

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