- Title: GREECE: FERRY DISASTER SURVIVORS SPEAK OF ORDEAL.
- Date: 27th September 2000
- Summary: PAROS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 27, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. AV: GREEK MILITARY HELICOPTERS IN RESCUE OPERATION 0.06 2. AV/LV: DEBRIS ON SHORE OF ISLAND; SEARCH HELICOPTER (5 SHOTS) 0.39 3. LV/GV: PAROS HARBOUR/ BOATS (3 SHOTS) 0.56 4. GV: HOSPITAL CLINIC WHERE SURVIVORS ARE BEING CARED FOR 1.01 5. GV/MV/CU: TOURISTS, FRIENDS AND RELATIVES GATHERED OUTSIDE; PEOPLE STUDYING THE SURVIVORS' LIST ON A BOARD OUTSIDE HOSPITAL; DISTRESSED MAN TALKING ON PHONE/ MORE DISTRESSED PEOPLE (12 SHOTS) 2.17 6. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) SURVIVOR CHRISTINE SHANON, AMERICAN FROM SEATTLE DESCRIBING HER ORDEAL, SAYING "I looked up and I saw that there were lights so I thought we must be there. I went to stand up because I saw the shore, and figured we were close and immediately I looked here and I heard the crash and there was a rock. We were on the middle deck, and it was taller than the boat. It scraped down the side. I was disoriented." 2.46 7. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) HEIDI HART, AN AMERICAN FROM SEATTLE CRYING AND SAYING "I didn't think we were going to make it until we came out and I saw the chapel with the blue top. The whole time we were on the boat I didn't think we would make it." 3.02 8. MV/CU: LIFE JACKETS/ DEBRIS (4 SHOTS) 3.29 9. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) GREEK COAST GUARD COMMANDER ANDREAS SIRIGOS SAYING: "These captains are very familiar with this route. There was a lighthouse on the rock. Therefore it is difficult to make any logical explanation." 3.50 10. MV/CU: GREEK COAST GUARD OFFICIALS (3 SHOTS) 4.04 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th October 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PAROS, GREECE
- Country: Greece
- Reuters ID: LVA1F52J55ZPSHVS4L9BOUUA7ALD
- Story Text: Survivors of the Greek ferry disaster have been
speaking of their ordeal. At least one young woman said she
didn't think she was going to survive.
Sixty-two people died when the Express Samina ran into a
rocky islet off the holiday isle of Paros and sank.
At least 55 foreigners survived the Greek ferry disaster
but embassies struggled on Wednesday (September 27) to
determine whether any of their nationals were among the dead
and missing.
Rescuers pulled 443 people from the sea in an
all-night operation hampered by gale force winds. Twenty-nine
were reported missing.
As coast guard and rescue officials continued the search
for surivors and bodies, other survivors were being treated in
the Paros hospital described their ordeal.
"The whole time we were on the boat I did not think we
would make it," said American tourist Heidi Hart, of Seattle,
Washington state.
Christine Shanon, also from Seattle, said she heard a
crash and looked out to see a rock looming above the middle
deck where she was standing.
The passengers on the ferry included Australians, Britons,
Canadians, Germans, Italians and South Africans.
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