His name is Gaetano Giorgianni, 36, from Messina, the first officer of the Euroferry Olympia, which burned down on its way to Brindisi a few days ago. And he did something incredible. In the middle of the night, he was the first to raise the alarm after the fire. First the communication to the ship’s captain, then the race through the corridors to knock on the doors of the various rooms and warn all the passengers of the dangerous situation, directing them to the lifeboats. All this while the ferry was engulfed in flames. Together with the captain, Giorgianni was the last one to leave the burning ship.
In an interview, First Officer Giorgianni’s wife spoke of those moments with emotion and admiration for the man who can be cosidered a hero: “My husband helped many people into the lifeboats. He said the fire must have started from a lorry, he told me he didn’t think he would get out alive. He was crawling on all fours, vomiting repeatedly, his shoes glued to the floor and going from one cabin to another where the passengers were stuck. Once he was safe, many people hugged him to thank him. He has a clear conscience because he did everything that could be done, he is my hero”.
Now Gaetano is still in Greece, to help the authorities in Corfu. He has also stayed there to look for the missing people who have not yet been found. Then, once his work is done, he will return to Italy. In Borgo Sabotino, in the province of Latina, where he lives with his family after moving from his native Messina.
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