Albania Allows Ferry in Adriatic Disaster to be Towed to Italy

Albania on Wednesday allowed the Norman Atlantic ferry, which left at least 13 people dead when it burst into flames in stormy seas near a Greek island, to be towed to an Italian port.

"Following the demand of authorities in (the southeastern Italian port of) Bari, Albanian justice decided to allow the ferry be towed towards Italy," said Albai Serani, spokesman of the Albanian prosecution office.

The operation will start as soon as weather conditions allow, he told Agence France-Presse.

Officials have warned that the toll from Sunday's disaster could be far higher.

Nearly 40 passengers listed as having been on the Italian-owned ferry were still unaccounted for after a mammoth 34-hour rescue operation, but it was unclear whether this was because they were dead or down to errors in the ship's manifest.