Greek Boats Search for Missing French Tourists

Greek rescue boats scoured the waters around the Aegean island of Santorini for two French tourists missing after the evacuation.

The 22,412-tonne Sea Diamond, run by Louis Cruise Lines, ran aground on Thursday just minutes away from the shore of the picturesque island, one of Greece's most popular tourist destinations. It listed and was evacuated within a few hours.

Louis Cruise Lines said there were 730 Americans, 112 Spaniards, 100 French and many other foreign nationals on board, including Germans, Britons and Australians, plus the crew.

The cruiser left the port of Piraeus on Monday for a five-day island cruise and had been due to return on Friday.

The ship sank early on Friday and investigators were still trying to determine the exact cause of the accident, the Merchant Marine Ministry said.

"Divers are now preparing to get into the water to start searching for the two still missing," a ministry official told Reuters. She said two coastguard ships and two vessels cleaning up a small oil spill were in the area and the investigation was continuing.

The 45-year-old Frenchman and his 16-year-old daughter remain unaccounted for. His wife and son were among 1,156 passengers safely evacuated from the Greek-registered ship.

The company in a statement late on Friday revised the total figure of passenger and crew to 1,156 and 391 respectively.

The Merchant Marine Ministry said 1,129 passengers and crew had already reached Piraeus by early Saturday.

Many passengers had flown home while others were in hotels in the Greek capital.

A prosecutor on the nearby island of Naxos is expected to start questioning the ship's captain and other officers after their testimony on Friday at Santorini's port authority.