ATHENS —  Hundreds of passengers were safely evacuated early Wednesday from a Greek ferry after a fire broke out in the car deck, officials said.

The Eleftherios Venizelos, originally bound for Hania, Crete, returned to the port of Piraeus shortly after 0100 GMT, the Greek coastguard said.

The ship had nearly 900 people on board in addition to a crew of around 140. The passengers spent the night on deck, and left the boat using a fire brigade ladder, the coastguard said.

No injuries were immediately reported.

Early information suggests the fire broke out on a truck, state news agency ANA said.

The ship limped back to port at slow speed, escorted by coastguard, tug boats and two other ferries.

A fire ship carrying rescuers was dispatched to meet the ship as it sailed back to Piraeus.

It was then deemed that an evacuation at sea was not necessary as the fire had largely been contained by the ship’s sprinklers. —  AFP