More than 400 evacuated by sea as wildfire hits Italy's Puglia coast

More than 400 tourists and beachgoers were evacuated by sea on Sunday as a wildfire swept through part of Italy's southern Adriatic coast, the coastguard said.

The evacuations were taking place around Peschici, in the southern Puglia region. The coastguard said sea evacuation was the only viable route and that operations were continuing. A coastguard spokesman told AFP that around 300 more people were expected to be evacuated. Six coastguard vessels, three boats from Italy's financial police and about 10 private vessels were involved, the coastguard said.

Images showed firefighters and a Canadair waterbomber fighting the fire. The blaze was not immediately threatening homes in Peschici. Local daily Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno quoted Mayor Luigi d'Arenzo as saying the situation was under control.