Justice minister, DGA chief discuss partnership to boost digital judicial services    Netanyahu does not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders    US farmers are being squeezed – and it's testing their deep loyalty to Trump    Romania condemns 'irresponsible' Moscow after Russian drone breaches its airspace    Kirk's assassination is forcing US politicians to make difficult choices about their safety    India players refused handshakes, says Pakistan coach    Final stage of Spanish Vuelta cycling race abandoned after disruption by pro-Palestine protesters    Mané fires Al Nassr past Al Kholood to keep perfect start as Ronaldo honored    Lacazette brace earns NEOM SC first Saudi Pro League win    Adolescence star Owen Cooper makes Emmys history at 15    Saudi liquidity grows 8.4%, reaching SR3.1 trillion in July 2025    Over 434,000 people acquire first aid skills during nationwide health campaign    Saudi Arabia's legislative advancement highlighted at International Conference on Judicial Training    Sudden swerving among 3 major causes of accidents in Riyadh in 2024    Princess Haifa emphasizes pivotal Saudi role in shaping future of tourism    Sahm Capital names Saudi Olympian Fayik Abdi as brand ambassador    SR9000 fine for copyright infringement using AI    King Charles and Prince Harry finally reunite after 19 months apart    Anastacia: Arnold Schwarzenegger made me sing Whatta Man 12 times    Thousands pay their last respects to Giorgio Armani, private funeral on Monday    The key to happiness    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Navy divers search for 2 missing after cruise ship sinks in Aegean Sea
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 06 - 04 - 2007


Navy divers searched the sunken
wreckage of a cruise ship on Friday for the bodies of a
Frenchman and his daughter who disappeared after the vessel
foundered on a volcanic reef _ the only two people missing
despite what passengers described as a chaotic evacuation
in the Aegean Sea.
Nearly 1,600 people were retrieved from the sinking ship
in a three-hour rescue operation, but some passengers
complained of an insufficient supply of life vests, little
guidance from crew members and being forced into a steep
climb down rope-ladders to safety, according to AP
«The crew members were more scared than we were,» said
Lizbeth Mata, a 15-year-old from the Dominican Republic who
was vacationing with her parents and brother. Mata said
some crew members left before the passengers: «They were
yelling and screaming _ didn't know what to do.»
The 143-meter (469-foot) Sea Diamond struck rocks Thursday
in the sea-filled crater formed by a massive volcanic
eruption 3,500 years ago off the island of Santorini.
Tourists gathered on clifftops to watch the rescue effort
at the reef, which is marked with warning lights and
clearly indicated on navigation charts. The ship sank about
half a kilometer (quarter-mile) off the island's coast, in
waters of uneven depth, a few minutes before it was to
dock.
The ship's operator, Louis Cruise Lines, said the
Frenchman and his teenage daughter were the only passengers
missing, and insisted the 21-year-old vessel had been well
maintained.
«The vessel maintained the highest level of safety
standards and was equipped with the latest navigation
systems,» spokesman Giorgos Stathopoulos said.
The captain and five officers were summoned to appear at a
public prosecutor's office on the island of Naxos to make a
formal declaration of their version of events, which is
standard procedure in such incidents. No charges have yet
been filed, as it remains very early in the investigation.
State-run NET television said that investigators believed
most of the damage to the ship's hull was done before the
captain issued the distress signal, when he was trying to
maneuver the ship away from the rocks.
Earlier, private vessels siphoned oil from the stricken
ship in order to prevent further fuel leakage after a small
oil slick appeared.
«The evacuation was orderly and successful. Every
decision was taken in a way that would not endanger
lives,» Merchant Marine Minister Manolis Kefaloyannis
said.
The missing French passengers were identified as
Jean-Christophe Allain, 45, and his 16-year-old daughter,
Maud, from Doue-la-Fontaine in western France.
Divers inspected the sunken ship in search of their
bodies.
Minister Fanny Palli Petralia, who spoke with Allain's
wife, said the family's cabin filled with water when the
ship struck the reef.
«She was not sure whether her husband and daughter made
it out because things happened so suddenly ... in a few
seconds. Her other child was up on deck and was evacuated
safely.»
Thursday's evacuation was the largest Greek rescue
operation since the September 2000 Express Samina ferry
disaster, which killed 80 people near the holiday island of
Paros when the ferry struck rocks and sank.
«We realized there was a serious problem ... we exited
our cabin and it was tough to be able to walk out of the
ship. A lot of people were very emotional over it, upset,
very frightened,» said Stephen Johnson, a Canadian tourist
who was among the 1,547 passengers and crew rescued.
Passengers on the cruise were mostly American, and also
included groups from Canada and Spain, France and the
Dominican Republic.
Some of those rescued said they had confused the grinding
sound when the ship first hit the rocks with the ship's
dropping anchor. Australian passenger Katie Sumner said the
early stages of the rescue were chaotic.
«We heard a big shudder and then the whole boat started
to tilt,» Sumner said.
«All of our glasses were sliding everywhere and our
warning that the ship was sinking was some of the staff
running down the corridor screaming out 'life jackets' and
banging on doors, so we got no time to, sort of, get ready
or anything, we just left as we were.»
-- SPA


Clic here to read the story from its source.