'The catastrophe is probably the worst of our time and will impact
everyday Swedish life for a long time to come,' Prime Minister
Goeran Persson told a news conference.(AFP/Sven Nackstrand)
(I'll post more Sweden-related photos below. CH)
(I'll post more Sweden-related photos below. CH)
Ping to the Swedish Ping List.
Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivals (R) comforts an unidentifed Swedish national who survived the tidal wave incident in Phuket, southern Thailand during her visit to the Bangkok Phuket Hospital.(AFP/Roslan Rahman)
Huh? What does that have to do with anything? Sounds more appropriate for fending off barbarian hoards.
The US has ships en route, but I heard that Sweden is truning down US/Australian offers of help.
Two-year-old Swedish boy Hannes Bergstroem, right, is reunited with his father Marko Karkkainen, in a Phuket hospital, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004 in this image made from television. Hannes was found alone in the wasteland of a tsunami-hit resort island in Khao Lak, southern Thailand. (AP Photo/APTN)
Ping.
Swedish tourists wait for their flight at Phuket Airport, Thailand December 29, 2004.
The best example of a natural or man-made disaster overturning some interesting matters that I can think of was the crash of a Columbian airliner on Long Island back in the late 1980's. Due to the incompetence of the crew - the plane left Columbia with less fuel than had been assumed to be on board and while on final approach over Long Island the engines stalled for lack of fuel and the plane crashed in a residential area (landing on John McEnroe's father's property, if I recall correctly). There were a large number of survivors (since there was no fuel for a fire), and many were taken to area hospitals, where routine intake included an x-ray. Many of the injured passengers were found to be drug carrying "mules" - with intestines packed with condoms containing cocaine. The luggage that was burst open and strewn across the property also contained a lot of illegal drugs fresh from Columbia.
I always thought of that as a great example of how an accident or natural disaster (plane crash, tsunami, whatever) can be a great cross-sectional view into something going on right under our noses (e.g., drug trade) which we manage to miss every day.
I realize I'm going to catch hell for suggesting this - but I'm really curious what will be discovered, in a similar fashion, as a by product of this disaster.
Injured Swedish tourist Gerdh Vall, whose husband and daughter were missing after the tidal wave hit Thailand, sits in shock while waiting for medical treatment at Phuket international hospital.
Swede Carl Michael Bergman of Stockholm holds his son Hannes, 1 year old, while talking about his missing wife, Cecilia Bergman, Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004 in Phuket, Thailand. Cecilia Bergman was missing after a massive tidal wave struck the beachside resort the couple was staying in north of Phuket, Thailand.
Janette Strum from Sweden, weeps as her 16-year-old injured son, Matias, lies near her while they wait to be airlifted out of the Thai resort island of Phuket December 28, 2004. Strum's 13-year-old son, Jonathan, is still missing. . . .
Karl Nilsson of Lulo, Sweden, poses with a sign saying his parent and brothers are missing Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004, in Phuket, Thailand. The young boys parents were swept out to sea Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004. . . .
An unprecedented disaster... really sad.
1000 dead tax payers not paying into the coffers.
I bet that will hurt the Government socialist system.
Prayers for the safety of those who survived, and for the souls of those who did not. May God comfort their families.
My prayers to all that are affected by this disaster. Sri Lanka will be the most affected by this tragedy though. The numbers don't matter if it's one of your family, but the locals suffered much more than westerners
when i was in phuket about 2 years ago, i noticed the really high number of swedes there. in fact, because thais avoid phuket(way too expensive for a native) i saw more beautiful swedish women than any other nationality. my deepest sympathies to both the vacationing westerners and the locals who were killed. my heart tightens every time i see a picture of a street in phuket that i've personally walked down.