MV Avrasya

Summer Star laid up in Eleusis in July 1986
History
Name:	Lazio (1953–79) Sant Andrea (1979–84) Makedonia (1984–85) Summer Star (1985–86) Corfu Diamond (1986–88) Larnaca Rose (1988–92) Avrasya (1992–96) Cortina (1996–97) Avrasya I (1997)
Owner:	Tirrenia Di Navigazione SpA (1953–79) unknown (1979–84) Achaid Lines (1984–86) Agapitos Bros (1986–88) Megacycle Shipping Co (1988–94) Mirror Holdings (1993–97)
Operator:	Tirrenia Di Navigazione SpA (1953–79) unknown (1979–80) Transazul Car Ferries (1980–82) Achaid Lines (1984–85) Panko Inc (1985) Agapitos Bros (1986–88) Megacycle Shipping Co (1988–93) Mirror Holdings (1993–97)
Port of registry:	Naples (1953–79) Greece (1979–86) Piraeus (1986–88) Larnaca (1988–92) Panama City (1992–97)
Route:	Port Vendres - Puerto de Alcudia (1980–82) Patras - Igoumenitsa - Corfu - Brindisi (1984–85) Limassol - Beirut (1985) Brindisi - Patras (1987) Ancona - Kusadasi (1992–93)
Builder:	Cantieri Navali Riuniti
Yard number:	201
Launched:	1953
Out of service:	1982–84 1985–86 1991–92
Identification:	IMO number: 5204558
Fate:	Scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type:	Passenger ship (1953–67) Ro-Ro ferry (1967–97)
Tonnage:	3,838 GT 1,197 DWT
Length:	116.64 m (382 ft 8 in)
Beam:	15.96 m (52 ft 4 in)
Draught:	5.48 m (18 ft 0 in)
Installed power:	4 diesel engines
Propulsion:	Screw propellor
Speed:	16.7 knots (30.9 km/h)
Capacity:	677 passengers (1953-67) 1,000 passengers, 110 cars (1967–97)
Notes:	Sisterships: Calabria, Sicilia

Avrasya is a Ro-Ro ferry that was hijacked in the Black Sea hostage crisis of 1996. Originally built in 1953 as the passenger ship Lazio, she was converted to a Ro-Ro ferry in 1967. In 1979, she was sold to Greece and renamed Sant Andrea. A sale in 1984 saw her renamed Makedonia, followed by a chartering in 1985 which saw her renamed Summer Star. A sale in 1986 saw her renamed Corfu Diamond and after a further sale in 1988 she was renamed Larnaca Rose. In 1992, she was sold to Panama and was renamed Avrasya. Following the hijacking incident, she was renamed Cortina, then Avrasya I in 1997. She was sold for scrapping in November 1997.

The ship was 116.64 metres (382 ft 8 in) long, with a beam of 15.96 metres (52 ft 4 in) and a draught of 5.48 metres (18 ft 0 in). She was 3,838 GT, 1,197 DWT. The ship was powered by four 6-cylinder Fiat diesel engines ( 6,120 kilowatts (8,210 hp)), which could propel her at 16.7 knots (30.9 km/h). As a passenger ship, she could carry 678 passengers in 377 berths. Following rebuilding as a Ro-Ro ferry, she could carry 1,000 passengers in 478 berths, and 110 cars.

Lazio was built as a passenger ship by Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Palermo as yard number 201. She was launched in 1953. Built for Tirrenia di Navigazione SpA, Naples, she was one of the first three post-war ships built for the company. Her sister ships were Calabria and Sicilia. In 1967, Lazio was converted to a Ro-Ro ferry in 1967. With the introduction of IMO Numbers, Lazio was allocated the number 5204588.