A passengership owned by Attica Group has grounded off the island of Ios, Greece, in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG) said the incident involving the 18,498-gt Blue Star Patmos (built 2012) was carrying 206 passengers and 87 crew.
Twenty-one passenger vehicles and 12 trucks were on the garage of the ship.
Two other ships in the vicinity were used to bring all passengers and most crewmembers to shore.
TradeWinds is told the refloating of the ship could take at least three weeks, as it has grounded hard on a rocky area.
Tugs controlled by the Vernicos-Spanopoulos-Lympoussakis consortium are on the scene.
The vessel is believed to have suffered holes in three parts as a result of the grounding, while water ingress has also been observed.
Blue Star Ferries, a subsidiary of Attica Group, issued a brief statement confirming the incident.
The reason of the grounding, which took place while the vessel was entering the port of Ios, remains unclear.
Expert divers are expected to assess any damage on the ship later this afternoon.
