THAILAND: RESCUE WORKERS CONTINUE SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS AND BODIES OF VICTIMS OF INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI ON ISLAND RESORT OF KOH PHI PHI

Record ID: 648171

  • Title: THAILAND: RESCUE WORKERS CONTINUE SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS AND BODIES OF VICTIMS OF INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI ON ISLAND RESORT OF KOH PHI PHI
  • Date: 28th December 2004
  • Summary: (W5) KOH PHI PHI, THAILAND (DECEMBER 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. LV: THAI RESCUE BOAT ARRIVING AT KHO PHI PHI 0.05 2. SV/SCU: THAI NAVAL PERSONNEL IN BOAT (2 SHOTS) 0.18 3. DEAD BODY FLOATING IN THE WATER 0.21 4. RESCUE TEAMS WRAPPING BODIES IN WHITE PLASTIC SHEETS/ DEAD BODIES ON SAND 0.26 5. DEAD BODIES IN WATER 0.32 6. DIVERS IN WATER 0.37 7. MAN CARRYING BODY WRAPPED IN WHITE PLASTIC BAG 0.44 8. RESCUE TEAMS CARRYING BODY IN PLASTIC BAG AND PAST HUNDREDS MORE LYING ON GROUND 0.53 9. LV: LINE OF DEAD BODIES IN PLASTIC BAGS ON GROUND 0.59 10. DAMAGED HOMES/ RUBBLE 1.03 11. SNIFFER DOG SEARCHING THOUGH RUBBLE 1.08 12. BRITISH RESCUE VOLUNTEER PHILIP THOMAS COGHLAN AND HIS SNIFFER DOG, 'SKIP' INSIDE BUILDING 1.16 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIP THOMAS COGHLAN, BRITISH VOLUNTEER, SITTING WITH HIS SNIFFER DOG 'SKIP', SAYING: "The window of opportunity is still there. In experience, from experience, we know that we can work up to 7 to 10 days and find people that are trapped. And we have had that, and we have recovered bodies in that period of time so, yes, I am very hopeful". 1.35 14. DESTROYED BUILDING 1.40 15. OLD MAN SITTING IN FRONT OF DESTROYED HOUSE 1.44 16. BODIES IN THE RUBBLE 1.49 17. CU: SHOWS ON GROUND 1.53 18. WS: RUBBISH AND FURNITURE ACROSS THE BEACH AND THE SEA 1.58 (W5)PHUKET, THAILAND (DECEMBER 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 19. WS: EXTERIOR CITY HALL 2.02 20. THAI FOREIGN MINISTER DR SURAKIART SATHIRATHAI WITH OFFICIALS WALKING PAST 2.09 21. (SOUNDBITE) (English) THAI FOREIGN MINISTER DR SURAKIART SATHIRATHAI SAYING: "But we believe it will be in the thousands. We don't know what is the numbers for foreign tourists and for the Thais but we are very concerned for foreign tourists because we feel that they are our guests." 2.20 22. WS/SV: HUNDREDS OF SURVIVORS AND RELATIVES INSIDE HALL/ INJURED SURVIVORS IN WHEEL CHAIRS (2 SHOTS) 2.27 23. INJURED WOMAN BEING WHEELED AWAY 2.33 24. CHILDREN BEING TREATED 2.37 25. YOUNG CHILD RECEIVING TREATMENT ON HER FACE 2.43 26. THAI DOCTOR ATTENDING TO TOURIST ON STRETCHER 2.47 27. WS: HUNDREDS OF SURVIVORS AND RELATIVES INSIDE HALL 2.49 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th January 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KOH PHI PHI & PHUKET, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVA37CNPNKRM6JVK13JAONE8LU
  • Story Text: Rescue workers continue searching for survivors and
    bodies in Koh Phi Phi, southeast of Phuket.



    The Thai navy, military and police continued to
    rescue hundreds of tourists and other people from the tiny
    Andaman Sea resort of Koh Phi Phi, after the island made
    famous by "The Beach" movie was devastated by a
    three-storey wall of water.

    Survivors described the horror of the tsunami on Sunday
    that ripped apart buildings and flung debris, killing more
    than 100 people, officials said.

    Entire buildings lay half sunken in the sea and bloated
    bodies were still floating in the tiny island.

    Hundreds more bodies wrapped in white plastic were also
    lined up on the ground.

    International volunteers joined the Thai military including a
    British search and rescue expert, Philip Thomas Coghlan.

    The dog is the only one on this rescue team and Coghlan
    said he was still hopeful of finding people.

    "The window of opportunity is still there. In
    experience, from experience, we know that we can work up to
    7 to 10 days and find people that are trapped. And we have
    had that, and we have recovered bodies in that period of
    time so, yes, I am very hopeful," Coghlan said.

    The Thai government said it had asked the international
    community for more dogs to search for survivors.

    Aid agencies struggled to cope with the enormity of the
    disaster across Asia. The International Red Cross said it
    may have to treble its appeal for funds.

    The United Nations said hundreds of relief planes
    packed with emergency goods would arrive in the region from
    about two dozen countries within the next 48 hours.

    Authorities waited in trepidation for the outbreak of
    diseases caused by polluted drinking water and the sheer
    scale of thousands of putrefying bodies.

    Thai Foreign Minister, Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai
    revised upwards the number of people estimated to have died
    on Phuket.

    Sathirathai said he did not want the bodies to be
    cremated until they had been identified, raising fears it
    could pose a health problem.

    "But we believe it will be in the thousands. We don't
    know what is the numbers for foreign tourists and for the
    Thais, but we are very concerned for foreign tourists
    because we feel that they are our guests," the Foreign
    Minister said.

    Hundreds more have arrived at Phuket town's city hall
    looking for help, shelter and relatives.

    Food is being prepared for them as well as advice on
    how to get home and arrange for new papers to enable them
    to go back to their home countries.


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