Athens, Aug 29 (AFP) Hundreds of passengers were safely evacuated today 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.

They spent the night on deck and no injuries were immediately reported, the coastguard said.

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 vessels, tug boats and two other ferries. (AFP)

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